Thaindian News

Hyderabad, Nov 11 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government Tuesday ordered a second autopsy on Moddu Seenu, who was murdered in Anantapur district jail Sunday, following demand from the victim’s family and direction by the state human rights commission and the high court.The second autopsy on the body of Julakunti Srinivas Reddy alias Moddu Seenu was conducted at Guntur district hospital.

Seenu, a key accused in the murder of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former state minister Paritala Ravi, was allegedly murdered by a co-prisoner early Sunday.

The sharpshooter was murdered with dumbbells and iron rods. Four other prisoners were also present in the same barrack.

Seenu’s family was not satisfied with the first autopsy conducted at Anantapur Sunday and had refused to perform his last rites till a second autopsy is conducted. The state human rights commission and the high court had also directed the government to again conduct a post-mortem examination.

There was delay in performing the second autopsy as Seenu’s wife Lakshmi Rajyam and others insisted that they should be allowed to be present during the autopsy. The officials, however, turned down their demand.

After the second autopsy, the body was handed over to the family and taken to Seenu’s native village Challagounda where he would be cremated.

Seenu’s murder has sparked a major political row in the state as the TDP held the Congress government responsible saying this was an attempt to suppress the evidence in Paritala Ravi murder case and to shield Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy and Minister for Panchayati Raj J.C. Diwakar Reddy.

Seenu’s family pointed finger at Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri, the prime accused in Ravi murder case. It alleged that Suri, lodged at the same jail, got Seenu killed as the latter wanted to turn approver in the case.

With Seenu’s murder, the factional violence in Anantapur district once again raised its ugly head. Anantapur and three other districts are notorious for bloody factional fighting for several decades.

Paritala Ravi, a former minister and a notorious warlord, was gunned down in Anantapur town Jan 24, 2005. Seenu confessed to have shot dead Ravi at the behest of Suri.

The stae government had ordered probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after Ravi’s family and TDP alleged that the chief minister’s son and a state minister were behind the murder.

Suri and another accused in Ravi’s murder case Patola Janardhan Reddy were Tuesday produced in the Anantapur district court amid tight security.

Suri and Janardhan Reddy raised slogans of “Seenu amar rahe” outside the court and claimed that they had nothing to do with the murder.