With the arrest on Friday of Srikakulam Additional Superintendent of Police (Vigilance and Enforcement) R. Siva Ramakrishna Raju (A-1), Gudipati Seshagiri Rao, Visakhapatnam Walkers’ Club secretary (A-3) and N. Krishnamurthy Raju (A-5) of Pedamajjipalem (Gantyada mandal) within 48 hours, the mystery shrouding the death of Kolli Venkata Rama Prasad (62), former owner of Jyothi Theatre, Visakhapatnam, was cleared.
Two more persons – Kalva Vijaya Bhaskar (A-2), a granite trader from Visakhapatnam and his car driver Ambati Appanna (A-4) – who were involved in the “rifle misfire”, which resulted in the death of Rama Prasad on the morning of March 17 at M.K. Palem in Veduruvada panchayat in Bondapalli mandal, are yet to be arrested.
While Vijaya Bhaskar is being treated for hypertension and diabetes at a nursing home in Visakhapatnam, Appanna is at large. They were in the village to finalise a land deal.
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At a press conference on Friday, Superintendent of Police Navdeep Singh Grewal said Rama Prasad and the five accused had stayed in the farmhouse of one Mr. Teegala Sankar Rao on the night of March 16. Next morning, Rama Prasad, who had been carrying his licenced .36 caliber rifle, kept the magazine and rifle separately, as the rifle bolt did not function.While Additional SP Ramakrishna Raju was trying to rectify the problem, a bullet left in the rifle chamber went off and hit Rama Prasad’s left upper arm joint, and he died a few minutes later,” the SP said, adding, “There was no intention to murder. It was an accident.”