PTI
ANANTAPUR, Nov 10: The sensational murder of TDP legislator Paritala Ravindra three years ago took a new turn on Sunday, with the main accused in the case being killed in a violent clash in a jail here.
J Srinivasa Reddy alias Moddu Seenu was done to death in the clash with one Om Prakash and other undertrial prisoners in the district jail in the early hours on Sunday, police said.
Om Prakash, arrested in connection with several dacoity cases, allegedly hit Seenu with dumb-bells, they said.
The main opposition TDP, which petitioned President and Prime Minister in 2005 alleging the involvement of Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in the murder of Ravindra, termed Seenu's murder as an attempt to hush up the case.
Ravindra's murder is being investigated by the CBI.
TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu said the murder of Seenu in a jail reflects the sad state of affairs in Andhra Pradesh and held the government responsible for the incident.
Ravindra's widow and TDP MLA Paritila Sunita, pointed an accusing finger at the Chief Minister following the incident.
However, the Chief Minister rubbished the allegations, saying they reflected the political bankruptcy of the TDP.
Home Minister K Jana Reddy too denied TDP's allegations and said the government is ready for "any" probe to bring out the truth in the murder of Seenu. He directed state Director General of Police S S P Yadav to conduct an inquiry into the Anantapur jail incident
"We will discuss with legal experts on the course of action. We will also investigate the role of outsiders, if any, in Seenu's murder," Jana Reddy added.
Strongly condemning the TDP's allegations on the issue, the home minister said such charges were being levelled only to gain political mileage.
"Neither me nor the Chief Minister have anything to do with Seenu's murder," he asserted. The Home Minister said the killing was a fallout of an altercation between the two prisoners.
Any violations of the jail manual in Seenu's murder would also be probed, he said.
Replying to a query, he said Seenu had not become an approver in the Paritala Ravindra murder case but only expressed his wish.
Soon after the killing of Ravindra in Anantapur in January 2005, Seenu had appeared before TV cameras and claimed that he was the killer. He hid in Delhi for a few months but was later caught at a hotel in Hyderabad.
Seenu's confession before the media that he eliminated the TDP leader at the behest of Congress leader M Suryanarayana Reddy alias Suri had caused a flutter.
Suri is also serving jail term in connection with an aborted assassination bid on Ravindra ten years ago.
However, Seenu and Suri fell out subsequently and Seenu was said to be planning to turn an approver.
A postmortem was conducted on Moddu Seenu's body at a government hospital at Anantapur and the doctors said that he died after being hit by a heavy object on the head.
The government has placed two jail officials-Vasant Kumar and Mallikarjun-under suspension in connection with the murder.
"We will find out how the cement dumb-bells came inside the barracks of the jail. Action will be taken against those responsible for this lapse. We are placing two jail staff Vasant Kumar and Mallikarjun under suspension," Sunil Kumar, DIG of Rayalaseema Range, said.