Two real estate dealers arrested for extortion plan in Khammam, three firearms seized

The accused Riyaz was absconding. He was involved in a case under IPC Section 120 (B) read with Section 34 and Section 25 (1) A of the Firearms Act in 2013, the CP added.

Khammam: The Khammam three-town police arrested two real estate dealers, who planned to extort money from granite mine owners posing as naxalites, and seized firearms from them.

Speaking to the media here on Sunday Commissioner of Police, Sunil Dutt informed that when the three-town SI and staff were conducting vehicle inspections at Prakash Nagar in the city two bike riders tried to escape on seeing the police.

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The police chased the duo and apprehended them. During interrogation they identified themselves as Mohammed Afsar of Kasba Bazaar and Gundamalla Venkateshwarlu of Khanapuram in Khammam, he said.

They confessed to police that they were involved in extortion and illegal land settlement cases under Mahabubabad, Garla, Maripeda and Kesamudram police station limits in the past. The duo resorted to extortion to make up for the losses they suffered in real estate business during the past few years and clear their debts, the CP noted.

Afsar and Venkateshwarlu in order to execute their plan decided to procure firearms and eleven months back consulted a Khammam resident, Mohammed Riyaz. They sent Riyaz to Bihar for procuring three 7 mm pistols, four magazines and 17 live rounds.

As per their plan they proceeded towards Mudigonda area carrying the weapons to threaten granite mine owners to extort money from and were caught by police. Police seized firearms along with a motorbike and booked cases against them under relevant sections of BNS and Indian Firearms Act under crime number 345/2024, Dutt informed.

The accused Riyaz was absconding. He was involved in a case under IPC Section 120 (B) read with Section 34 and Section 25 (1) A of the Firearms Act in 2013, the CP added.