Vijayawada: Vijayawada police has achieved a breakthrough in the triple murder case after identifying two prime suspects, Bootham Srinivasa Rao and Puranam Ganesh, and starting a manhunt for them.
Investigations concluded that professional rivalry between high profile astrologers of Pinkadimi of West Godavari district had led to the killings.
Film stars, NRIs, businessmen in Mumbai and Hyderabad were clients of these astrologers. According to the police, one Bootham Goivnd, a London-based astrologer, is also a suspect in the case.
Several calls were made to Bootham Goivnd during the execution of the murder plot. CCTV footage at the Royal Hampi Lodge at Hanuman Junction in Krishna district, where the killers stayed from September 22, revealed the faces of four hired assassins along with two other locals who helped them. Interestingly, the lodge is owned by a police constable. The victims were carrying Rs 2 lakh cash when they came to Gannavaram from Mumbai, indicating that huge money was involved in the profession. Vijayawada Commissioner of Police, Mr A.B. Venkateswara Rao said, "Astrologers protect their territory very aggressively. In Mumbai, others will not be allowed into areas where an astrologer operates. There are family and territorial disputes too. There are enough reasons for them to kill each other. They are earning lakhs of rupees." He added, "Two things need to be done. We have to identify who are the hired killers and where they came from. The second is to nab them." The killers used country-made weapons with.32 ammunition. Experts lifted fingerprints from the Visakhapatnam registered car owned by Bootham Srinivas Rao, which was used by the hitmen, and also from the two rooms in which the killers stayed. An investigation official said, "Foreign-based astrologer Bootham Govind's daughter was married against his will to the son of one K. Nagaraju who is now absconding and suspected to be hiding in Mumbai. This marriage added fuel to already existing professional rivalry. The elections of MPTC in the village further increased the feud. "Govind's younger brother Durga Rao was allegedly murdered in April 2014 by Nagaraju and others including those two killed on Wednesday. Nagaraju had allegedly hired two Mumbai based hired killers who are actually Telugus. To avenge the murder, the deceased Durga Rao's brothers, Govind who stays abroad, and Srinivasa Rao, plotted the triple murder." Police said Srinivas Rao and his nephew Puranam Ganesh left Pinkadimi village on Wednesday morning, hours before the murder. Villagers were sent to Vijayawada for identifying the suspects from the CCTV footage. Six teams were formed to probe the case.
