Special Investigation Team Files Charges in Vijayawada Custodial Death Case

Vijayawada, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Andhra Pradesh police has filed a chargesheet in a Vijayawada court concerning the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Sai Krishna. The charges were submitted on Monday, September 21. The chargesheet includes allegations against SSVV. Nagaraju, the then Circle Inspector of the Krishna Lanka police station, along with six other individuals.The SIT has presented evidence indicating that Sai Krishna was subjected to physical abuse during his detention, leading to his death. It also claims that the accused attempted to destroy evidence by cremating the body. The other accused named in the chargesheet are Head Constable Ashok Kumar, his associate Gulivindla Suresh, and constables Babu Rao and Sambayya, as well as Home Guard Venkata. Sai Krishna was taken into custody on May 6, 2026, and has been missing since then.His family alleges that he was brutally beaten to death in police custody, with his remains disposed of at a crematorium. Following a complaint by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, a case was registered on June 19 under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. She accused the police of torturing her son and ultimately causing his death. In response to a habeas corpus petition filed in the High Court, the state government established the SIT to investigate the matter.The SIT, led by Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash, arrested the suspended Station House Officer on June 21. The charges were filed just four days after Suresh surrendered in court. According to the SIT, Suresh confessed to having seen Sai Krishna at the police station and later at a private residence in Ranigari Thota, where he allegedly died on May 12. Suresh informed the SIT that Nagaraju, along with Head Constable Ashok Kumar and Nani, cremated the body to eliminate evidence.The investigation revealed that the NTR Commissionerate's task force police, in collaboration with Krishna Lanka police, had taken Sai Krishna into custody on May 5, 2026, for two pending non-bailable warrants. He was handed over to the Krishna Lanka police the following day. Suresh reported that when he visited the police station on May 12, Nagaraju took him to a vacant private building in Ranigari Thota, where he found Sai Krishna in a pitiable condition. The victim allegedly confided in Suresh that he had been severely beaten every day since his arrival at the police station.