The accused in the >sensational double murder case that occurred on Monday night at Thadankivari Street in Satyanarayanapuram was arrested and produced before the media by the police on Wednesday.
In less than 48 hours, the police investigation team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police M. Ravi Prakash solved the murder for gain case by arresting Durga Venkata Vara Prasad alias Venkat (27). They also recovered the gold ornaments that were taken away and the weapon used to kill the duo, Chakka Punnyavati (57) and her granddaughter Ch. Sai Chandrika (13), a student of standard VIII. They were done to death allegedly by Venkat at their residence between 7.30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Well acquainted with family
Disclosing the modus operandi and intent, the DCP said that Venkat was well acquainted with the Chakka family, as he worked for a private elevator supply company. The accused first visited the house around 6.30 p.m. and found the little girl. He waited in the portico for some time.
Meanwhile, when Sai Chandrika came down to play with her friends in the street and buy some chocolates, he seized the opportunity to go up and slash Punnyavati’s throat in the kitchen and collect the gold ornaments she was wearing. Then he tried to break open a cupboard expecting a bigger haul.
When Chandrika returned he asked her for some water and followed her to slit the throat from behind. In the meantime, her friends came in search of her and hearing the footsteps he ran to the second floor and jumped to the neighbouring building and escaped.
The DCP said that it was a pre-meditated and cold-blooded murder.
“We will recommend that the case be sent to a fast-track court, under the rarest of rare cases,” he said.
The other members of the investigating team, ADCP Gita Devi, ACP (Central zone) D.V. Nageswara Rao, SHO of Satyanarayanapuram Police Station S. Prasada Rao and Inspector M. Satyanarayana were present.
