Gang rivalry in Visakhapatnam city took a new turn here on Thursday with the arrest of seven members of a nine-member gang, including the leader Merugu Chittibabu alias Chittimamu, and the police recovering a huge cache of dangerous weapons from the gang for the first time.
The City Task Force (CTF) team led by ACP I. Chittibabu and Sub-Inspector Hari, arrested the seven members, when they were on their way to eliminate a key member of the rival gang, in Kailasapuram area.
The police recovered four swords, two innovatively fabricated axes, a couple of adjustable wrench cum knives and iron rods.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) C.M. Trivikram Varma, the weapons were specially fabricated at a workshop near Marikavalasa and it was for the first time that such weapons were seized in the city.
The police fear that such a trend could be dangerous and have mobilised surveillance teams to monitor the members of both the gangs.
Old rivalry
In the city basically, there are two major gangs. One is headed by Mohammed Kasim and Bathina Murali and the other is headed Reddy Venkata Siva Kiran alias Podugu Kiran and Chittimamu.
The members from both the gangs once belonged to a single gang that was managed by Telugu Anil Kumar, and they specialised in extortion and running organised gambling dens.
The fissure in the gang developed over the sharing of booty, and in 2011, Telugu Anil Kumar was instrumental in the brutal double murder of two of the gang members, Rajesh and Nagesh.
This led to the break up of the gang, as Rajesh was Chittimamu’s brother.
While Anil, Kasim and Murali formed a gang, Chittimamu and Podugu Kiran developed another gang.
Rivalry took an ugly turn with Chittimamu and Podugu Kiran eliminating Anil Kumar in May 2015.
Swearing revenge, a broad- daylight attempt on the life of Podugu Kiran was made by the Kasim gang in September 2015. And in March this year, B. Narasimha Murthy alias Natchu, a key member in the Chittimamu’s gang, was eliminated by Kasim.
Ever since then, Chittimamu has been looking for an opportunity to eliminate Kasim and Bathina Murali, said ACP of CTF I. Chittibabu.
It is learnt that since Kasim is in remand for Natchu’s murder, Chittimamu and his gang was on their way to eliminate Bathina Murali, when they were intercepted and arrested.
According to the DCP, the Chittimamu gang tried to extort Rs. 2 lakh from a complainant on April 14.
“The victim was called at a place and allegedly kidnapped and released only after extorting Rs. 4,500 in cash and his gold chain and rings and cell phone. They were under surveillance and were nabbed on Thursday,” he said.
The arrested include Chittimamu, Tirupathi Arya Kumar, Mylapalli Sagar, Vinay Kumar, Ravi, Doulapalli Ammoru, Hiradhi Naresh, Karri Krishna and Pithani Shyam Kumar.
