Published Sep 18, 2026 | 10:15 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 18, 2026 | 10:16 PM
The SIT concluded that Sai Krishna died solely from the beatings inflicted by the Krishnalanka police.
Synopsis: The Special Investigation Team of Andhra Pradesh police probing the alleged custodial torture and death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna has found that he died from severe beatings by personnel at Krishnalanka Police Station and that the then Krishnalanka Circle Inspector (CI), Nagaraju, with the help of police constables, covertly burnt his body. The SIT’s remand report says he was moved to an abandoned building after the torture and died there on 12-13 May. The report also details alleged efforts by the accused to destroy evidence, pressure Sai Krishna’s family to withdraw its habeas corpus petition, and evade arrest.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Andhra Pradesh police probing the alleged custodial torture and death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna at Krishnalanka Police Station in NTR district has found that he died from injuries caused by severe beatings at the hands of police personnel.
It also found that the then Krishnalanka Circle Inspector (CI), Nagaraju, with the help of police constables, burnt his body after he succumbed to the injuries.
The findings are recorded in the remand report submitted by the SIT after interrogating Gulivindala Suresh, the fourth accused (A4), who surrendered two days ago.
After interrogating the seven accused arrested in the case, the SIT concluded that Sai Krishna died solely from the beatings inflicted by the Krishnalanka police and that his body was subsequently taken to the Swargapuri crematorium in Vijayawada and burnt to ashes.
The case first came to light in June after Sai Krishna’s mother approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court with a habeas corpus petition, nearly a month after he went missing on 6 May, causing a furore across the two Telugu States.
During the proceedings, the Court expressed anger at the police over their conduct. YSRCP MP Gurumoorthy also approached the Supreme Court seeking the inclusion of senior Andhra Pradesh police officials as accused in the case. Subsequently, the Andhra Pradesh government formed the SIT to probe the case.
Seven persons, including then Krishnalanka CI Nagaraju, have been arrested in connection with the case.
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The SIT has stated in its remand report that Gade Sai Krishna did not die at Krishnalanka Police Station, but succumbed to injuries after being brutally tortured there by then CI Nagaraju, Head Constable Ashok and Constable Nani. On Nagaraju’s orders, the severely injured Sai Krishna was shifted to an abandoned building at Ranigari Thota.
Task Force police took Sai Krishna into custody at Markapuram on 6 May this year and handed him over to the Krishnalanka police.
Suresh was present when Nagaraju, Ashok and Nani interrogated Sai Krishna on 7 May. When Suresh went to meet Nagaraju on 12 May, he saw Sai Krishna at the vacant building in Ranigari Thota in a highly pathetic condition.
According to the SIT, Sai Krishna was shifted to the abandoned building because he was severely injured from the custodial torture and the accused feared that keeping him at the station would raise suspicion. Nagaraju instructed the constables and Suresh to keep him there until he recovered.
The remand report states that while he was alive, Sai Krishna told Suresh that the police were torturing him with the intention of killing him. It states that Sai Krishna lost consciousness and died while speaking to Suresh.
Around midnight on 12-13 May, the accused wrapped Sai Krishna’s body in a blanket, transported it on a motorcycle and took it to the Krishnalanka Swargapuri crematorium. The SIT stated that Nagaraju, Ashok and Suresh together burnt the body at the crematorium.
Suresh, Ashok and Nagaraju remained at Swargapuri until the body was completely reduced to ashes. On 18 May, Suresh returned to the crematorium to check whether any traces of the body remained.
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The SIT had initially questioned Gulivindala Suresh, but he subsequently absconded. The investigating team then began the process of issuing a Look Out Circular (LOC) against him, collected his passport details and issued a statewide alert to trace him.
Suresh arrived at the SIT office on 17 September and surrendered. The investigation found that he had been closely associated with then Krishnalanka CI Nagaraju since 2010 and worked as his personal assistant. The SIT described Suresh as Nagaraju’s close confidant and said he accompanied the CI on night rounds.
Nagaraju was arrested on 23 June. The remand report states that on the same day, constables Ashok, Nani and Suresh travelled in the same vehicle from Vijayawada to Nagpur via Hyderabad. Suresh travelled to Nagpur anticipating his arrest following Nagaraju’s apprehension.
After Suresh’s surrender, the SIT identified the abandoned building at Ranigari Thota where Sai Krishna allegedly died. The remand report stated that no evidence was found at the building.
The investigators later identified the exact spot at the crematorium where Sai Krishna’s body was allegedly burnt. They collected ashes, bones and other burnt remains from the spot. The SIT also seized two vehicles allegedly used by the accused.
The SIT has sought 15 days’ custody of Suresh from the court for further interrogation.
The remand report states that the accused took extensive measures to prevent primary and technical evidence from being left behind, including the destruction of CCTV cameras and forensic traces.
On the orders of then CI Nagaraju, Head Constable Satyanarayana allegedly deleted photographs taken when Sai Krishna was in police custody.
While Sai Krishna’s mother Vijayalakshmi was searching for information about his whereabouts, Suresh, accompanied by constables of the Krishnalanka police station, allegedly went to the house of Sai Krishna’s maternal uncle, Mullapudi Navarang, on 31 May to pressure the family not to take the matter further. The accused offered compensation in return for withdrawing the habeas corpus petition. Navarang refused the offer.
Suresh also allegedly threw his mobile phone SIM card into a canal to prevent the police from tracking him through his phone. Despite this, the report states, he remained in contact with the A-2 and A-3 accused.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
