Auto driver drowns in Godavari while escaping from a gambling den in Mancherial

An auto-rickshaw driver who went missing after escaping a police raid in Mancherial was found dead in a river after nine days. Police suspect he drowned while trying to evade arrest. A case has been registered and investigations are underway

Mancherial: An auto-rickshaw driver, who went missing for nine days after he managed to escape during a police raid on a gambling den near Thimmapur village in Jannaram mandal, was found drowned in a river at Gudirevu village on Saturday.

Police said that an unidentified body was discovered by locals in the river. The body was identified as that of Guda Mallesh (50) from Nagasamudram village. A case was registered and investigations were taken up.

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Mallesh was among eight persons who were booked for gambling on the night of April 16. He managed to run away from the den on noticing the arrival of the police. He had not returned home since then, forcing his family members to lodge a missing complaint with the police on April 17.

A search operation was launched immediately, and around 100 persons, including locals and police personnel, thoroughly searched the area. A dog squad and a drone were also used, but to no avail. He is suspected to have met a watery grave while trying to cross the river, apparently to evade arrest.