Suspect in murder of AP CM's uncle commits suicide

A suspect in the murder case of YSR Congress Party leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's uncle Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy, allegedly committed suicide in Kadapa district, police said on Tuesday.

Srinivasula Reddy, who was questioned by the police in the case, resorted to the extreme step by consuming sleeping pills at his house in Kasunuru village on Monday night. He died while undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Kadapa.

In a suicide note addressed to Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, Srinivasula Reddy wrote that the police was harassing him in the name of investigations. His family members alleged that he was mentally upset over police questioning him in connection with the murder case.

Police said they registered a case and sent the suicide note for forensic examination.

The deceased's brother-in-law Parameshwar Reddy, who is an accused in the murder case, said they had been serving the YSR family for the last 30 years. He said that they were in no way connected to Vivekananda Reddy's murder but they were taken to Gujarat for narco analysis test.

Jagan Mohan Reddy's uncle Vivekananda Reddy was found murdered in his home in Pulivendula town of Kadapa district on March 15.

The 68-year-old former MP was alone at his house when unidentified persons barged in and killed him. He was killed hours before he was to launch YSRCP's election campaign in Kadapa.

Jagan Mohan Reddy had demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into his uncle's murder. He had blamed the then ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for the killing.

The YSRCP chief had said that TDP was in power or the leadership was aware of the conspiracy whenever a death occurred in his family.

Though police questioned many suspects, it could not crack the case.

After YSRCP came to power in May, police officials probing the case were shifted. However, no progress could be made in the investigations.

A court granted bail to the three accused in June as no charge sheet could be filed even after 90 days of their arrest.

( With inputs from IANS )