Additional SP’s driver dies as gunman’s fire arm goes off

Nellore: Kin of driver Ramesh Babu, 32, AR Constable, who was accidentally killed due to misfire on Saturday night, suspect role of cricket bookies. They raised doubt on the role of gunman of Additional SP Sarath Babu.

The driver of Nellore Additional SP’s vehicle died on Saturday night when the firearm of the gunman accidentally went off and two bullets hit him on the chest . The incident took place in the late hours at the District Police Office.

Highlights:

• Driver of Additional SP Sarath Babu died due to misfire from the gun of the gunman late on Saturday
• Kin of the driver suspect the role of cricket bookies behind his death
• Senior police officials deny any such apprehensions saying it as a clear misfire case

He was immediately rushed to a local private hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Additional SP B. Sarath Babu, Superintendent of Police PHD Ramakrishna visited the hospital. Police shifted the dead body for post-mortem at government general hospital on Sunday.

‘We had several doubts on the incident. There was not a single drop of blood in the car. One after the other bullets hit Ramesh at the same place.

Why did the gunman not lock the firearm?,’ asked Anasuya, live-in partner of Ramesh. M.Ramesh Babu was from Seetharapuram village in Nellore and had joined the department as AR Constable in 2009. He had been working as driver at Nellore Additional SP B. Sarath Babu for the last two years. Meanwhile, Nagendra had also joined recently as gunman in the same office who belongs to 2011 batch.

‘Ramesh had gone to office at around 9 am and not returned to home even in the afternoon for lunch. He returned to home at around 7.30 pm and at around 9 pm gunman Nagendra had called him up asking to come to office. Then informed that he would come to home after office work,’ said Anasuya.

‘I received a call at about 10 pm that Ramesh met with an accident and three members also visited my house and have taken me to the hospital’, she added. Police shifted Ramesh at around 10.15-10.30 pm to the hospital in the night. After few hours Additional SP B. Sarath Babu announced that Ramesh Babu died due to misfire, she said.

‘Driver Ramesh Babu and Nagendra were coming to the SP’s office. While they were moving towards the office at the entrance suddenly the firearm of gunman accidentally went off and two bullets hit him. We were in panic due to the huge sound we heard after it went off. The incident took place within a fraction of second’, said Sarath Babu who visited the hospital in the night.

Relatives of the driver Ramesh raised several doubts on his death initially. But, they seemed pacified after officials held discussions with them. ‘We sought justice and SP also assured that they would probe the case impartially’, said Anasuya. Ramesh who hails from Seetharapuram mandal has been living with Anasuya for the last eight years. ‘There is no doubt in this case. We had already interrogated gunman Nagendra and still probing the issue. We would extend our support to the family of Nagendra,’ said PHD Ramakrishna, Nellore Superintendent of Police.