Properties of coaching centre owner raided in Secunderabad arson case

Avula Subba Rao, an ex-serviceman who runs several army coaching centres, allegedly sent provocative messages to instigate rioters

June 20, 2022 09:26 pm | Updated June 21, 2022 09:24 am IST - VIJAYAWADA

Police personnel guarding the Vijayawada railway station, in view of the Bharat bandh called against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme on Monday

Police personnel guarding the Vijayawada railway station, in view of the Bharat bandh called against the ‘Agnipath’ scheme on Monday | Photo Credit: K. V. S. Giri

Officials of the Income Tax (IT) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) reportedly conducted raids on Sai Defence Academy and other institutes, being run by a man named Avula Subba Rao, at Narasaraopet in Palnadu district on Monday.

The teams reportedly raided the properties of Mr. Subba Rao, who is alleged to have played a key role in the violence that erupted at Secunderabad Railway Station on June 17 when mobs set fire to several trains protesting the Agnipath scheme announced by the Centre.

The A.P. police reportedly took Mr. Subba Rao into custody after the rioting at the Secunderabad railway station, in which one Army aspirant Damodar Ramesh from Warangal was killed.

Messages on social media

It was alleged that the heads of some army coaching institutes and centres of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circulated provocative messages in various social media groups and instigated the youth to embark on violent protests.

Mr. Subba Rao has been operating a slew of army coaching centres and junior colleges for the last few years in Guntur, Hyderabad, Secunderabad and other places, the police said.

The IB and the IT officials seized some documents during the raids. They inquired about the activities of Sai Defence Academy and other centres being run by Mr. Subba Rao.

Meanwhile, sleuths of the State and Central Intelligence agencies are also inquiring into the activities of the institutes being operated by Mr. Subba Rao, who is an ex-serviceman.

“We have not arrested Subba Rao in any case. Investigation into the Secunderabad violence is ongoing,” a police officer said.

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