Lawyer hacked to death in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: In a brutal murder reminiscent of Rayalaseema’s faction violence, five persons waylaid a 51-year-old AP High Court lawyer in front of the Serilingampally tehsildar’s office, threw chilly powder on his face, and then hacked him to death with sickles and knives on Saturday. Based on the complaint by the lawyer’s assistant who was eyewitness to the murder, the Chandanagar police have launched a manhunt for the attackers who have been identified. But they are locals and not from Rayalaseema.The murder of lawyer SAshok Reddy took place in broad daylight at 10.30 am. According to informationavailable, Ashok Reddy had successfully argued a land dispute case pertaining to3.09 acres in Nanakramguda in favour of his client Sanjeeva Reddy, a farmer. Theland was being disputed by Sanjeeva Reddy’s relatives headed by PratapReddy. After a 12-year legal battle, the court finally ruled in favour ofSanjeeva Reddy, assistant commissioner of police (Madhapur) K Govardhan Reddytold STOI. As per the market prices, this land would be worth Rs 22-30crore.The timing of the murder was significant as theSerilingampally tehsildar was to have entered Sanjeeva Reddy’s name in theland revenue records (that would show him as the rightful owner of the piece ofland) on Saturday afternoon. “Ashok Reddy along with his assistant SekharReddy arrived at the tehsildar’s office around 10.30 am in his Maruti 800car. The assistant got down in front of the office while Ashok took the car tothe parking area a little ahead, parked the vehicle, and was walking towards thetehsildar office after wearing his black coat when he was attacked by the fivepersons who were waiting for him,” the police said.According to the police, the five accused came to the tehsildar office in a black Scorpio without a registration number. “However, the vehicle left soon after dropping them and the assailants left the premises in an auto after committing the brutal murder,” the police said. With nearly 30 deep stab injuries on his head, face, chest, abdomen and hands, Ashok Reddy was rushed to Osmania General Hospital (OGH) where he was declared brought dead.AssistantSekhar Reddy, who witnessed the murder from a few feet away, is in a state ofshock and has been admitted to the Acute Medical Centre in OGH. Based on SekharReddy’s complaint, the police have launched a hunt for Pratap Reddy,Dasarath Reddy, Anji Reddy, Srinivas Reddy and Krishna Reddy. The ACP said allof them are residents of Nanakramguda.Ashok Reddy’s relative SPratap Reddy alleged that Serilingampally Congress MLA Bikshapathy Yadav’sson Ravi Kumar Yadav was behind the murder, a charge that the police did notconfirm. Ravi Kumar had called up Ashok Reddy two weeks ago and told him not toregister the land in the name of Sanjeeva Reddy, Pratap said. Ashok Reddy was aresident of Central Excise Colony in Bagh Amberpet and is survived by wife Lathaand two daughters, Shruti and Swati. While the elder daughter has just got a jobwith Google, the younger daughter is a student. The cremation of the lawyer tookplace later on Saturday evening.