Hyderabad: Tension gripped Green Park colony at Saidabad when an autorickshaw driver was found dead under suspicious circumstances. Enraged locals then attacked a police constable saying that he had beaten the victim to death.
The locals tied up the cop, K. Vinod Kumar, who was drunk and handed him over to police saying that he had murdered auto driver V. Srihari alias Siri, 30.
The victim’s relatives claimed the constable had attacked him after a row over fare. But police said that no one had seen the attack and there were no visible injuries on Srihari’s body.
Police took Vinod Kumar, a constable at the Sirpur police station, Adilabad, into custody. Residents of Green Park colony said the autorickshaw was parked off the road at around 4.30 am and the duo were arguing over fare. At around 6 am, news spread that the auto driver was dead.
Locals told the police the drunk cop beat Srihari to death. Eyewitnesses alleged the cop also abused women who questioned him. But when the police called for witnesses no one came forward to testify.
Later, police concluded the residents had found the drunk cop in the back seat and the body of the driver in the front seat of the autorickshaw. “They found Srihari in the driver’s seat and a sleeping Vinod Kumar in the back. They then woke Vinod Kumar up and asked him about the death. The locals then tied him up and informed us,” said inspector K. Sattaih.
Meanwhile, the presence of Vinod Kumar in Hyderabad is shrouded in mystery as he should be on duty at Adilabad’s Sirpur police station.
Police said Vinod Kumar had come to the city a week ago to meet relatives at a hospital at Borabanda. His relatives left Hyderabad on June 5. But, he stayed back. When police took him into custody Vinod Kumar was drunk and unable to speak. Police could start grilling him only by Wednesday evening. Srihari’s body was sent for autopsy. Doctors said no injuries were found on his body.
“We booked a case of suspicious death and are awaiting post-mortem report,” the inspector said.
