Andhra Pradesh: Police rule out boyfriend’s involvement in minor girl’s murder

In a twist to the Gandikota murder case, Andhra Pradesh police ruled out the girl's boyfriend Lokesh as a suspect. The 17-year-old was found dead in the forest area. Police say no sexual assault occurred and fresh leads have emerged

Amaravati: In a twist to the murder case of a 17-year-old girl in Andhra Pradesh’s YSR Kadapa district, the police on Wednesday ruled out the involvement of her boyfriend, who had brought her to Gandikota on a motorbike.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Kurnool Range) Koya Praveen said on Wednesday that investigations were underway in the case and that they had found some clues. The DIG told mediapersons after visiting the spot that the girl’s boyfriend, Lokesh, was not involved in the murder. He also said there was no sexual assault on the victim.

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The DIG refused to divulge the details, saying district Superintendent of Police would crack the case by Wednesday night. The girl was found dead under suspicious circumstances in the forest area at the popular tourist site of Gandikota in Jammalamadugu mandal on Tuesday.

The deceased was a second-year Intermediate student of a private college at Proddatur. Her parents had lodged a missing complaint with the police late on Monday after she did not return home. The police found the body of the missing girl in bushes behind a temple in Gandikota.

Preliminary investigation by the police revealed that the girl was allegedly lured away by a youth named Lokesh from Hanumanagutti village in Yerraguntla mandal. He reportedly picked her up on his bike and took her to Gandikota.

The CCTV footage near the Gandikota toll gate shows the two entering the area around 8.10 am. Lokesh was seen exiting alone at 5 pm the same day. Police arrested Lokesh and questioned him.

The DIG’s statement on Wednesday that Lokesh was not involved in the murder has given a new twist to the case. The DIG said that after arrival at Gandikota, Lokesh and the girl spent two hours at a private lodge. The youth later dropped her at the fort.

The police officer said the girl was seen carrying the college bag near the temple. “We don’t know what happened after that. We have ruled out involvement of her lover. We have found some clues on who murdered her,” he said.

The victim’s father, Kondaiah, had alleged that they had left Hanumanagutti village and relocated to Proddatur due to harassment by Lokesh in the name of love. The girl was studying at a college in the town.

On Monday, when she did not return home from the college, her parents enquired with the college and were shocked to learn that she did not turn up. They subsequently lodged missing complaint with the police. The deceased’s father demanded justice and called for the accused to be killed in an encounter. He even declared he would act himself if authorities failed to do so.