Mancherial fire deaths were supari killings, triggered by illicit affair

MANCHERIAL: The Mancherial police have busted the tragic fire incident in Venkatapur of Mandamarri mandal on Satuday in which six persons were charred to death, by establishing that it was not an accident but a pre-planned murder. The police, in their investigation, found out that the alleged extra-marital (illicit) affair of a woman was the reason and that a 'supari' in the form of a piece of land worth Rs 15 lakh was exchanged as part of the deal for cold-blooded killings.

It is known that a fire broke out in a house in Gudipalli under Ramakrishnapur police station after midnight on Friday in which six people – Masu Shivaiah, Rajyalakshmi, Mounika, Shantaiah Hima Bindu and Sweety – were burnt to death. But, as it turns out, the victims were actually burnt to death after their house was set on fire.

Upon receiving the information, Mancherial DCP Akhil Mahajan, ACP Edla Mahesh, Mandamarri CI Pramod Rao, and many other police officers inspected the incident site. A case was registered and the police immediately swung into the investigation.

During the investigation trail, the police stumbled on a vital piece of information that eventually helped the police crack the case. Shantaiah, a Singareni employee, had been staying at Shivaiah's residence for some time due to disputes with his wife over her alleged extra-marital affair. The police, who intensified the probe with this piece of information about the alleged extra-marital affair, found out that the wife of the deceased had actually struck a deal with a few mercenaries. She allegedly gave the supari by giving a piece of land worth Rs 15 lakh as 'supari' to the killers belonging to Lakshettipet to eliminate Shantaiah.

The mercenaries, as it came out during the investigation, bought 50 litres of diesel on Friday night and set the house in Gudipalli on fire. Six people were burnt alive in what was made to look like a fire accident.

The police have arrested all the accused including the wife of the deceased for their complicity in the killings.