A crucial clue from a cap seller helped Hyderabad police track down the absconding perpetrator involved in the attack on the receptionist/accountant of Shri Bhulakshmi Maata Temple in Saidabad on March 14.
The vendor, who had sold the cap to the accused at Gandhi Bhavan Metro Station, identified him and provided his phone number, which had been used to make a digital payment via UPI, said the police, adding that this breakthrough led to the arrest of two individuals, including a priest of the same temple, involved in the attack.
On the evening of March 14, Chintala Narsing Rao, 60, receptionist and accountant at the temple, was attacked by a man posing as a donor, said DCP (South East) Patil Kantilal Subhash. “The assailant, later identified as Raikod Hariputhra, 31, poured a chemical substance on Narsingh Rao’s head and fled, shouting, ‘Happy Holi!’. The liquid caused severe burns to Narsing Rao’s scalp, face, and neck.
The police launched an extensive investigation and examined nearly 400 CCTV footage clips, tracing the suspect’s movements across various locations in the city. “Using call detail records (CDR) and technical surveillance, officers tracked Hariputhra to his residence in Shaikpet. During interrogation, he confessed that he had carried out the attack under the instructions of Aripirala Raja Shekhar Sharma, 41, a fellow priest at the same temple,” added the DCP.
Sharma was subsequently arrested at the temple. Police investigations revealed that Sharma had planned the attack due to personal disputes with the victim. He had allegedly paid Hariputhra ₹2,000 to carry out the crime, transferring ₹1,000 in advance via UPI.
Published – March 16, 2025 05:33 pm IST
