Four held for murder of AP faction leader

Hyderabad, Jan 29 (PTI) Four persons have been arrestedin connection with the murder of gangster-politicianMaddelacheruvu Suryanarayana Reddy, prime accused in a TDP MLAkilling case, even as his close aide and prime accused BhanuKiran remains at large.

"We have arrested four persons in connection with thekilling of Suri. But the main accused Bhanu is still elusive.

Now, it is confirmed that he (Bhanu) is the one who committedthe murder," Police Commissioner A K Khan told reporterstoday.

Suri (39), a faction leader from Anantapur district inRayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, and the prime accused inthe murder of TDP MLA Paritala Ravi, was shot dead by gunmenin his car in Yousufguda here on January 3. The police hadbeen on the look-out for Bhanu and his associates for theiralleged involvement in Suri''s murder.

Those arrested were identified as Manmohan SinghBhadauria, Sulam Subbaiah, B V Hari Babu and A V Ramana, thecity police chief said but declined to reveal from where andwhen they were apprehended.

"Based on the confession of the four arrested... we feelthat property and business disputes and personal rivalrybetween Suri and Bhanu were responsible for the murder", thecity police chief said.

"Once Bhanu is arrested, a few new pieces of evidencemay also emerge. But so far from whatever information we havegot from the witnesses, the circumstances and the fourarrested...we feel the motive predominantly appears to bepersonal rivalry," the Police Commissioner said.

Special police teams, including Central CrimeStation and Commissioner''s Task Force personnel, have beendispatched across the country to locate Bhanu. "It''s only amatter of time before we get him," Khan said.