Beginning from the first week of July, when the conspiracy to kill Pranay Kumar first emerged, till the killing on September 14 and thereafter, Nalgonda police had no clue if the acquitted in ex-Gujarat Home Minister Haren Pandya’s killing were preparing for crime.
Azghar Ali was the prime accused who also underwent military training in Pakistan and Mohammed Abdul Bari, his associate, was involved in the Ahmedabad conspiracy case besides being an associate to Ali in two other cases. Ironically, Ali and Bari had been freely moving in Nalgonda and Miryalaguda July onwards, conspiring and preparing for the crime.
And the attacker Subhash Kumar alias Sharma lived in the town since August till he fled after the murder. The police, again, remained clueless. After receiving an advance of ₹ 15 lakh for the ₹ 1 crore deal on July 10 near Hyderabad outskirts, the trio, field instructed by Ali, bought a scooter and ran it with ‘for registration’ plate recceing the location in Miryalaguda.
They even bought new handsets, sim cards by fake names and the machete in the town. The police said, on August 14, after the first recce five days earlier, they attempted to kill Pranay near a beauty parlour. But confused between Pranay and Ajay, his brother, who also accompanied Amrutha to the beauty parlour, the attackers left. A week later on August 22, Sharma had knocked the doors of Pranay’s residence to attack, asking if the yellow-plate car would be given for rent; but it was his father Balaswamy.
More people were brought on September 1 with the plan to kidnap Amrutha and kill Pranay, but Ali withdrew the plan not confident of the new men. Finally, on being fully informed that they were visiting the hospital on Friday, the attack was ensured on September14 and Sharma fled the place and town, after changing his shirt, with Ali.
Asked if the police failed in ensuring surveillance in the town for three months, Nalgonda Superintendent of Police said an inquiry will be launched to understand the laxity. And action would be ensured.
Police sources say the town is fitted with about 130 CCTV cameras, besides cameras of shops and establishments. And on the police’s advice, Pranay’s family had also installed five cameras at their residence.
