A car driver was murdered and a 10-year-old girl, the daughter of a local businessman, was kidnapped in broad day light on the BRTS Road at Madhura Nagar here on Saturday.
The incident took place at 8.15 a.m., when the girl, along with her elder brother, 14, was on her way to school in their black-coloured Tavera being driven by Lakshmana Rao, (40). As the car was nearing the Saibaba temple at Madhura Nagar, the rear windshield was smashed suddenly. When the driver got down to check, suddenly, two motorcycle-borne miscreants blocked the car and tried to kidnap the two children. The driver tried to prevent them. In the melee, one of the miscreants stabbed him. Meanwhile, the brother of the girl gave the slip and escaped.
After the gruesome murder, the assailants took the girl in the car and fled from the scene.
The brother of the girl with the help of the local people alerted the police.
The body of the driver was sent to post-mortem.
The miscreants abandoned the car near Seetanagaram, which was seized by the police later. During the preliminary investigation, the police were unable to tally the registration numbers of the two motorcycles with the data of the Road Transport Authority.
The same girl was reportedly kidnapped five years ago and a ransom of Rs. 5 lakh was paid to the criminals.
Lakshmana Rao, a resident of Gulabi Totha, was working with Mr. Prabhakara Rao for the past 15 years. As the news about the kidnap went round, leaders of various political parties and the public thronged to the house of Mr. Prabhakara Rao.
Police Commissioner K.V. Rajendranath Reddy visited the scene of crime. Business rivalry could be the reason for the kidnap, sources said.
