The Guntur Rural Police have arrested Vishnuvardhana Reddy, a college student, on charges of murdering his classmate, Kota Anusha, at Palapadu village in Narsaraopet on February 24. Reddy was produced before the media on Friday. Cases under Sections 354 (D), 364, 302 and 201 IPC were booked in the Narsaraopet Rural Police Station.
Superintendent of Police, Guntur Rural, Vishal Gunni said that the police arrested the accused on Thursday. Mr. Gunni said the accused took the victim on a motorcycle to a stretch of fields at Palapadu village and, in a fit of rage, allegedly attacked her and strangled her to death. He even tried to dump the body in a nearby canal and destroy the evidence, he said. “As this is an important case, we are keen on fast-tracking the case and completing the process of filing a charge sheet. We are taking utmost care as some aspects of this case are still under investigation,” Mr. Gunni said.
The police said Reddy had been allegedly nursing a grudge that Anusha was in a relationship with another boy of the same college. On February 24, when Anusha alighted from the bus, Reddy asked her to come with him and took her to an isolated area in Palapadu village. During the course of their discussions, the accused allegedly throttled and killed her, Mr. Gunni said.
The SP said that a dedicated WhatsApp helpline 8866268899 and a toll-free helpline 1090 and all the phone numbers of all police officers were available round the clock and people could bring any incidents to the notice of police instantly.
Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy had asked the police to take stringent action and book cases under Disha Act. The Chief Minister promised the family of the victim that the State government would pay ₹10 lakh as compensation, provide a job in family and provide one acre of farmland. The victim belonged to Gollapadu village in Muppala mandal, while the accused is from Bollapalli mandal.
