Nellore police fire at accused in CPI(M) activist murder case

A police team fired in self-defence at the prime accused in the murder of CPI(M) activist K. Penchalaiah during a chase in early hours of Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off that the prime accused, identified as James, was hiding in the vicinity after evading arrest for seven days, a police team led by Circle Inspectors Venu (Nellore Rural) and Srinivasa Rao (Vedayapalem) surrounded him. In a bid to evade arrest, James lunged at the police personnel while brandishing a knife.

According to Deputy Superintendent (Nellore Rural) G. Srinivasa Rao, constable Adinarayana sustained grievous injury after James attacked him with the knife. Inspector Srinivasa Rao shot James in his knee to prevent him from harming the remaining members of the team. James was nabbed and rushed to a hospital, along with the injured constable.

James, reportedly involved in a ganja network, allegedly murdered CPI(M) leader Penchalaiah (37) in front of the latter’s children. Associated with the party’s ‘Praja Natya Mandali’, Penchalaiah used to create awareness through street plays against the ganja peddling.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) State Secretary V. Srinivasa Rao and Nellore district secretary M. Ramesh met the bereaved family and offered support. While demanding the immediate arrest and punitive action on the culprit, the party has called for a district-wide bandh on December 2.