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This is an archive article published on September 18, 2018

Telangana honour killing: Hitmen were promised Rs 1 cr to murder Dalit, one was linked to Pandya case

According to police, the “last straw” for Rao was his daughter’s grand wedding reception on August 17, after which he decided to eliminate Pranay so that his daughter would return to him.

Telangana honour killing: Hitmen got Rs 1 cr to murder Dalit, one was linked to Pandya case Rao, an influential real estate developer, contacted Abdul Kareem, Miryalaguda Town Congress President saying that he wanted to hire a contract killer.

Unable to accept that his only daughter had married a Dalit and was also expecting a child, T Maruthi Rao promised to pay a gang led by Asghar Ali, who was acquitted in the Haren Pandya murder case, Rs 1 crore to kill his daughter’s husband.

Rao, who belongs to an upper-caste, was arrested on September 14 with six others for the murder of P Pranay Kumar and told police that he was riled by the photos and videos that his daughter Amruta Varshini posted on social media. Pranay (30) was stabbed to death in front of Amruta in Miryalaguda town of Nalgonda district in Telangana on September 14.

According to police, the “last straw” for Rao was his daughter’s grand wedding reception on August 17, after which he decided to eliminate Pranay so that his daughter would return to him.

“He said that his love for his daughter turned into an obsession to get her back into the family and he was willing to do anything. When he learnt that she was pregnant, he tried to convince her through relatives to get an abortion saying she is too young and should concentrate on her career. When that failed, he decided to eliminate Pranay which he thought may force her to return home,” said Nalgonda SP A V Ranganath.

Rao, an influential real estate developer, contacted Abdul Kareem, Miryalaguda Town Congress President saying that he wanted to hire a contract killer. According to police, Kareem put him in touch with Asghar Ali, who has a long criminal record in Nalgonda. Ali was also arrested in connection with the murder of Gujarat minister Haren Pandya, who was shot dead on March 26, 2003, outside Law Garden in Ahmedabad while he was sitting in his car after a morning walk.

After months of investigation, the Gujarat Police arrested Asghar Ali and in 2007, a special court sentenced him and 11 others to life imprisonment. However, on August 29, 2011, Asghar Ali and the others were acquitted by Gujarat High Court.

When Maruti Rao contacted Ali asking for a hired killer, he contacted his childhood friend Mohammed Bari, also a notorious criminal. Bari contacted Subhash Sharma of Samastipur in Bihar who he had met at Rajahmundry Central Jail a few years ago.

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Police said that Bari, Ali and Maruti Rao met twice wherein he agreed to pay Rs 1 crore to kill Pranay. Accordingly, in the first week of August, he paid an advance of Rs 16 lakhs to Bari.

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

 

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