Three flatmates of Hyderabad resident J. Praveen Reddy have been charged with his attempted murder by the Scotland Yard. The Metropolitan police charged Amareshwar Arava and Sai Kishore Balguri, both 25, and Nishanth Puttapaka, 23, — said to be a distant relative of Mr Reddy — with the attempted murder.
Mr Reddy’s condition was stated to be slightly better on Sunday. His father J. Sudhakar Reddy and maternal uncle Madhava Reddy were issued visas by the British consulate in Chennai, which stayed open on Sunday specifically for the purpose. They left for London later on Sunday night. The alleged attackers of Mr Reddy will be presented at the Thames magistrates’ court at Bow Road, East London, on Monday.
The Met police did not reveal the reason behind the stabbing. Family sources who have been in touch with the London police claimed the altercation allegedly started during the birthday party of one Charan. Charan had moved into the apartment recently; he and Mr Reddy were classmates for two years from Class VIII when they were students at the Dilshuknagar Public School in Hyderabad, family sources said. Mr Reddy’s brother Jayashekar Reddy said Mr Puttapaka is a distant relative of the family, and there was a property dispute between them.
The police, which had arrested 11 men while investigating the case, released a 27-year-old man on Saturday without further action. Seven other men, aged between 22 years and 27 years, have been bailed by the police to return for questioning. All of them were present at the Plaistow flat when the altercation that led to the stabbing had taken place. Mr Reddy is better now, and will undergo a surg-ery on Sunday, said Mr K. Kasipathi, a family friend.
