Visakhapatnam: The city police on Tuesday arrested five persons in connection with the murder of Pucha Santhosh Kumar, 29. Santhosh Kumar, a boxer, was stabbed to death by the youngsters on October 1 evening at KRM Colony under the MVP Colony police station limits in the city.
Police said Santhosh Kumar was killed over a petty issue. Both the accused said the victim was known to them. The arrested have been identified as N. Sekhar, 25, S. Venkatesh, 25, A. Durga Rao, 27, R. Ashok Reddy, 27, and A. Kanaka Raju, 32. Talking to newsmen in Vizag, DCP (Law and Order, North Zone) Dr K. Fakirappa said a small dispute arose on September 30 involving Santhosh Kumar and the others in Seethammadhara aea. Santhosh’s uncle Mani had a dispute with Sekhar. Santhosh went to Sekhar’s house and warned him.
Upset with the warning, Sekhar with his gang decided to eliminate Santhosh. They came to know that Santosh had come for Durga idol immersion at Seethammadhara. Sekhar along with the other four reached the spot and attacked him with sharp edged weapons.
ACP (Dwaraka Zone) Ramachandra Rao said Santosh and one of his friends consumed alcohol when they arrived there in an autorickshaw. Seeing them, the five friends stopped the autorickshaw. Santosh got down. While two persons held him, Sekhar took out a knife and stabbed him 18 times. They then ran away. The ACP said that a home guard who was on duty nearby on Durga immersion rushed to the spot.
Among the five accused, Venkatesh is involved in some other cases also.
