Siddipet: Collector’s gunman shoots wife, two children and self to death

Naresh, 35, his wife Chaitanya (30), daughter Rishitha (5) and son Revanth (6) died on the spot. Based on preliminary inquiry, the police said Naresh was found to be in serious financial trouble.

Siddipet: In a shocking incident, Akula Naresh (35), an AR Constable working as gunman for the Siddipet Collector, allegedly shot dead his wife and two children before shooting himself to death with his service pistol at his residence in Ramunipatla village of Chinnakodur mandal on Friday morning.

All the four, Naresh, his wife Chaitanya (30), son Revanth (6) and daughter Rishitha (5) died on the spot. The two children were students of a private school in Siddipet.

---

Naresh, a 2013 batch AR constable, was reportedly under deep financial stress after he started borrowing amounts from different loan apps and invested the sum in online betting. Since he suffered losses in betting, he could not repay the amounts. To repay the loan apps, Naresh again borrowed huge amounts from friends and relatives over the years at high interest rates. Adding to the financial burden, he also built a new home in the village a few months ago. As his debts reportedly crossed Rs.1 crore, Naresh sold out his one-acre ancestral property for Rs.42 lakh to his cousin six months ago.

He paid the amount to the lenders, after which his in-laws gave him Rs.10 lakh a few months ago to help him. He is said to have still debts of Rs.56 lakh. As one person, whom he owed money, came to the village on Friday morning seeking the repayment, Naresh and his friends convinced him and sent him back, assuring him to pay the amount soon.

It was soon after this that Naresh shot his wife, children and himself with a 9MM service pistol. His parents and neighbours came running to his home and found the four in a pool of blood.

Commissioner of Police N Swetha said the family members told her that he was in financial problems. However, a detailed investigation was on. Naresh had reported for duty on Friday but was carrying the service pistol since Collector Prasanth Jeevan Patil was not in Siddipet on Friday, the Commissioner said, adding that his phone was seized for analysis.