Subba Rao of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh is emerging as the prime conspirator in the Secunderabad Railway Station violence, with the investigators reportedly stumbling upon fresh evidence confirming his complicity in the case.
Majority of the ‘masked youngsters’ seen in some of the widely circulated video clips of the violence ‘are believed to be his followers or associates’, said a police officer associated with the investigation of the case. Seeking anonymity, the officer said barring one all those masked youngsters seen carrying sticks and going on rampage damaging properties were suspected to be his men.
Initially, police suspected if any outsiders, persons unconnected to the issue or activists of any political parties got infiltrated into the mobs of youngsters angry with the Centre’s Agnipath scheme and perpetrated the violence. “The video clips showing some men carrying wooden logs and covering their faces with clothes naturally led us to suspect if some organised gangs were involved in the violence,” the police officer said.
As investigation progressed and Subba Rao of Sai Defence Academy (one of the several private institutes training youngsters for recruitment of army jawan posts) was picked up, fresh evidence began to emerge. After being grilled for several hours, Subba Rao admitted that he had arrived in Hyderabad on the day of violence.
Pledging solidarity with the youngsters who decided to register their protest by taking out a rally, he posted pictures of his arrival in city in the WhatsApp groups of the youngsters. But before he reached Secunderabad railway station, the mobs of youngsters camping in the vicinity of the railway station went berserk, the police found.
“As the video clips of violence at the railway station began circulating, Rao fled Hyderabad and went to Guntur fearing his apprehension,” the investigators said. Owners of three other similar academies ganged up with him to instigate the youngsters, police sources said.
Rao is also suspected to have sent money to different districts in Telangana to organise the protests and towards expenses of flexi boards and banners. He was handed over to Government Railway Police of Secunderabad who are likely to formally announce his arrest on Thursday.
