Juvenile gang bid to extort Rs 7 cr from ex-minister foiled
TIRUPATI: The Prakasam district police have arrested three members of a juvenile delinquents’ gang after they attempted a burglary and extortion attempt at the residence of former minister Sidda Raghava Rao.
According to SP Sunil, the incident occurred in the early hours of April 27.
The three boys allegedly broke into Rao's home on Mangamuru Road in Ongole around 12:40am. They attacked Rao’s driver, Kalavakolu Durga Prasad, with knives and fled the scene upon the arrival of an armed security guard.
A threatening letter surfaced at Raghav Rao's residence on Monday, demanding a ransom of Rs 7 crore. This prompted the registration of a case at the Ongole I Town Police Station under relevant sections of IPC.
“A special team launched an investigation, leading to the arrest of the three juveniles on the same day along the Mangamuru Road.
“They were students of Chaitanya Techno School and had recently completed their Class 10 examinations. During questioning, they admitted to entering Raghav Rao's home with the intention of committing theft and extortion,” the SP said.
The SP, in a statement, advised parents to closely monitor their children's activities, their friends, and their whereabouts to prevent them from straying onto the wrong path.