TDP MLA's murder: Graphic details

Anantapur district police has achieved a breakthrough in the murder of Telugu Desam Party legislator Paritala Ravi with the arrest of hired assassins.

The men confessed that jailed convict Gangula Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri had hatched the conspiracy.

The police have taken into custody four persons, while the main suspect Julakanti Srinivas Reddy has sent feelers that he is willing to surrender.

Preliminary investigations by the police, based on interrogation of those arrested, indicated that Suri masterminded the murder and entrusted the task to a close confidante and some hired assassins, who were promised lot of money.

In all, six persons were involved in the murder.

Vallupalli Rekamaiah, who surrendered to Mahbubnagar police on January 27, spilled the beans and gave a graphic account of the conspiracy and how Ravi was killed in Anantapur town on January 24.

He said he did not fire at Ravi but only provided 'cover' to two shooters Srinivas Reddy and Narayan Reddy. Other members of the team were assigned the task of hurling country bombs.

Rekamaiah's statements were found to be accurate, police said.

Following the disclosures, the police arrested Tagarakuntla Bhaskar Reddy, who conducted a survey of the TDP office in which Paritala was killed. Reddy also sheltered the alleged killers.

Bhaskar Reddy, a resident of Kanaganapalli, had rented a room in a hotel in Anantapur town a month ago for the hired killers who posed as traders.

He did not directly participate in the killing, but provided logistical support to the gang. He has given more information on the events preceding the killing of Ravi.

Obul Reddy, who surrendered to Bellary police in neighbouring Karnataka state, had trained some of the killers in using firearms and also followed the movements of Ravi.

Rajini, the driver of getaway van in which the assassins fled after the killing, was also arrested in Anantapur.

Rekamaiah disclosed that the gang had tried to eliminate Ravi on January 22, but the MLA did not come to the party office and the plan fell through.