Two arrested for murder of Telangana RTI activist

The Mumbai crime branch arrested two persons on Monday for the murder of a 51-year-old Right to Information (RTI) activist, Satyanarayan Narsa Goud. After Goud sought information from the state excise department on illegal toddy palm shops and those involved in the sale of this product in Mumbai and nearby areas and filed complaints, it resulted in the closure of several such outlets. After police shut down toddy palm shops in Telangana, the accused decided to kill the activist. On May 9, they shot Goud while he was on a pilgrimage. Rajeshwar Goud Elmita, 46, and Rajjaiyya Kasarapu, 52, who had been hiding in Mumbai since the murder, were arrested on Monday. They have been booked for murder (Section 302),criminal conspiracy (Section 120(B)) of the IPC and possession of firearms (Sections 3, 25 and 27) of the Arms Act. On May 9, the duo had fired three rounds at Goud and fled. They had bought weapons and fired at the deceased with the help of ten other accused. Natives of Peddappali, Hyderabad, Elmita and Kasarapu ran illegal toddy palm drinks businesses in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Karnataka and Gujarat. According to Dilip Sawant, DCP, Mumbai crime branch, “We arrested Elmita from his residence at Kher Nagar, Bandra. Kasarapu has been arrested from his residence at Anand Nagar, Jogeshwari. Telangana police had sought assistance from us to trace the accused. They had shared the information that Elmita and Kasarapu were residing in Mumbai. A team was formed to trace them. During investigation, it was found that the accused had repeatedly changed their locations within Mumbai and Telangana to evade arrest. The accused had suffered financial losses due to the crackdown on their business. In order to seek revenge, they hatched a murder plan.” They have been handed over to the Telangana police. Total 11 persons have been arrested. The police are on the lookout for one more accused in this case.