Hyderabad, July 12 (IANS) Telangana Police have intensified the hunt for a 35-year-old man who allegedly stabbed six people to death, including his wife, two young sons, and three members of the family that had filed a POCSO case against him, including the victim.
Twelve teams were on the lookout for B. Rajkumar, who committed the murders in two separate attacks at Daivalaguda in Shabad mandal of Rangareddy district on the night of July 10.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Yogesh Gautam on Sunday dismissed rumours circulating on social media that the accused has been arrested. He said the special teams were making all the efforts to apprehend the accused.
The massive manhunt involves technical experts, railway police, and human intelligence units. As the accused had switched off his phone around midnight on July 10, the police teams were relying on CCTV footage to find clues about his whereabouts.
The police teams were scanning CCTV footage from bus stations and railway stations as it is suspected that he might have escaped to other states. They were focusing on the highways connecting to Karnataka and other neighbouring states.
As part of the manhunt, police personnel thoroughly searched hotels and lodges on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru national highway.
Future City police have announced a reward of Rs.2 lakh for anyone providing information leading to the arrest of the accused.
Future City Police Commissioner Tarun Joshi also suspended Shabad police sub-inspector Ramesh, who was the investigating officer in the POCSO case.
According to police, Rajkumar allegedly committed the murders between 11.30 p.m. and midnight at two locations about six kilometres apart before calling his father at around 11.50 p.m. and informing him of the killings.
Rajkumar’s father went to the Shabad police station and informed the police about his son’s alleged confession.
The accused killed the minor girl, her mother and maternal grandmother. He also murdered his wife Sarita and two sons, aged four and one-and-a-half years. According to police, Rajkumar allegedly used a knife to stab all six victims before slitting their throats.
The police investigation revealed that Rajkumar began the killings from a house on Kummariguda Road, Shabad, where the 17-year-old girl who had accused him in the POCSO case lived with her family.
According to police, Rajkumar allegedly killed the girl’s mother Lakshmi and maternal grandmother Rukkama before taking the minor girl away. He murdered her in Daivalaguda village, about 6 km away. Preliminary investigations have ruled out the possibility of sexual assault prior to the murder.
Raj Kumar, with his parents, was the neighbour of the minor girl for many years until he moved away about six months ago with his wife and two sons.
The accused was booked in May under Sections 11 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after he allegedly stalked and sexually harassed the minor girl.
He was released on bail last month. Police suspect the killings were an act of revenge over the criminal case.
–IANS
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