Eight held in connection with TDP corporator’s murder

The police on Friday arrested eight persons in connection with the murder of a TDP corporator of Tadipatri town.

The police said Chikkepalli Sadiq Vali, who was killed by unidentified men a week ago with hunting sickles as he came out of a movie theatre, was a contract murder carried out by his rivals Syed Javed Khadri (32) and Sheik Baba Fakruddin (34), belonging to Tadipatri town.

Javed and Baba were once friends with Vali before they fell out. Subsequently, their enmity grew leading to Vali attacking them during the municipal elections recently for canvassing against him.

Both the prime accused, according to the police, gave a contract for Rs. 3 lakh to Reddemmagari Ravi Prasad of Devunuppalapadu village of the Pedda Pappur mandal to eliminate Vali. The accused also paid Rs. 50,000 each to five others who agreed to assist in the crime. The were identified as Sheik Sadiq Vali (25), Sheik Mahaboob Basha (36), Madiga Bala Peddanna (29), Jinka Kesav (25) of Tadipatri and Taluri Adeppa (38) of Devunuppalapadu village. All the accused were arrested by the police near Gerdau steel plant.

Two four-wheelers, three hunting sickles, two daggers and Rs. 50,000 in cash were recovered from them.