Two shootings in 12 hours: Multiple teams deployed to trace absconding suspects

The Hindu

17-07-2025

Police teams in Hyderabad and Medak have intensified efforts to track down the suspects behind two separate shootings that occurred within a span of 12 hours. In both cases, investigators are probing rivalries and financial disputes as potential motives.
In the Medak incident, Congress leader Marelli Anil was shot dead on the night of July 14 while returning to his village in a luxury SUV. The attack occurred near Kulcharam around 9 p.m. According to the police, Anil was intercepted and ambushed by assailants in two cars. Four bullets were found in his body and four empty shells recovered from the scene. Investigators confirmed the use of .32 calibre pistol in the attack.
Police suspect that the killing was linked to a real estate mediation that turned hostile. Anil is said to have maintained a network of ten men who operated through a WhatsApp group titled 'Janata Garage'. The group handled recoveries of money and financial disputes on commission. According to senior officers, Anil's involvement in illegal financial dealings and multiple rivalries could have led to his murder.
Twelve special teams have been formed by Medak police to trace the attackers. CCTV footage confirmed that Anil's SUV was flanked by two other cars. The attackers, believed to be four to five in number, have been identified and are currently on the run.
In the Malakpet shooting incident in Hyderabad, police are still searching for four suspects involved in the murder of State Council member Chandu Naik.
Naik was gunned down during his morning walk in Shalivahana Nagar Park, Malakpet, on the morning of July 15. Malakpet police, working with the Hyderabad Commissioner's Task Force, have deployed nine teams to locate the suspects. Officials believe all four are within city limits and have switched off their phones to avoid detection.
'Nine teams consisting of law and order staff and Task Force officers are working to trace the accused. Their mobile phones have been off since the morning of the incident, and all exit routes are being monitored,' an officer from Malakpet police station said.
Police recovered five shells at the scene, including three fired rounds and two that had misfired, indicating that a crude or country-made firearm may have been used. The vehicle used in the attack has been seized, and forensic analysis is ongoing.
Police in both districts have stated that further leads are being developed, and arrests are expected soon.