KURNOOL: The accused in Cherukulapadu Narayana Reddy's murder case were produced before the Pathikonda Court on Thursday morning and remanded to custody till June 7. Of the 15 accused, police has arrested 12. The Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishna Murthy's son Shyam Babu is named among the 14 still at large. Dhone police arrested 12 persons in connection with the killing of Cherukulapadu Narayana Reddy and his close aide Boya Samba Shivudu at Kalva Bugga on Wednesday. Tractors and deadly weapons that were used in the murder were seized from them, stated the officers.
The accused produced in the court included Beesanna Gari Ramanjaneyulu (son of Pedda Beesanna), Kothula Rama Naidu, Kallevari Rama Krishna, Kothula Ramanjaneyulu, Kothula Balu, Kothula Chin-na Yellappa, Kothula Pedda Yellappa, Gantala Venkata Ramudu, Gant-ala Sreenu, Beesanna Gari Ramanjaneyulu (son of Chinna Laksh-manna), Beesanna Gari Ramanjaneyulu (son of Chinna Beshanna) and Beesanna Gari Pedda Beesanna.
A picketing with a sub-inspector and armed reserve force was set up to ensure that no untoward incident takes place in and around Cherukulapadu village. Investigation is underway to nab the remaining culprits inv-olved in the murders. The widow of Narayana Reddy claimed that she perceives a threat to her family members from the deputy chief minister and had asked for security. A police picket has been put up at Cherukulapadu village. Faction-hit Cherukulapadu village in Pathikonda constituency has seen faction feuds since 1960s.
When Ediga Madanna and his followers eliminated Boya Peddaih in 1968 the villagers were divided between two groups of Kapus and Upparas. Kapus also known as Reddys in the village on one side, and Uppara community people on the other were continuously engaged in fights. While Kotla Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy sided with Kapus, Ediga Madanna, father of K.E. Krishna Murthy, sided with Upparas. In 1988, Narayana Reddy's father was hacked to death.
