Amaravati — Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested Pinipe Srikanth, the son of YSR Congress Party leader and former Minister Pinipe Viswarup, in connection with the murder of Dalit youth J. Durga Prasad, which occurred two years ago. The arrest took place in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, where Srikanth was apprehended and is now being transported back to Andhra Pradesh under a transit warrant.
Srikanth is accused of being involved in the brutal murder of Durga Prasad, a village volunteer, who was killed on June 6, 2022, following riots in the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema district. Police had been searching for Srikanth for several days before successfully locating him in Madurai.
During his arrest, Srikanth maintained his innocence, stating, “I am a doctor. I know only saving lives and not taking lives,” and claimed that his detention was unlawful. Following a medical examination at a local hospital, he was presented before a court to obtain the necessary transit warrant.
The investigation into Durga Prasad’s murder has revealed a complex web of connections, as he was friends with both Srikanth and V. Dharmesh, the YSRCP social media convenor who was arrested on October 18. Police believe the murder was premeditated, although the exact motive remains unclear.
Reports indicate that Dharmesh had taken Durga Prasad to Kotipalli dock on a two-wheeler, accompanied by four men in a car. Eyewitnesses allege that the group forced Durga Prasad onto a boat, where he was subsequently strangled to death.
Initially reported as a missing person, Durga Prasad’s body was later discovered, and an autopsy confirmed that he had been murdered.
The arrest has reignited public interest in the violent incidents surrounding the renaming of Konaseema district in May 2022, which saw a mob attack Viswarup’s home in Amalapuram, although he and his family were not present at the time.
As the investigation unfolds, the community is left grappling with the implications of these events on local politics and social dynamics.