Hyderabad hit-and-run case: Jubilee Hills police arrest accused after victim’s family protests inaction

Videos of the protest went viral as the family, including a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI), engaged in a heated argument with the police.

They expressed dissatisfaction, stating that although an FIR was filed in the early morning, there were no visible signs of an investigation.

Questioning the delay, the family said, “It is been 12 hours. Where are the Telangana police, who keep making promises of surveillance cameras? The man, L Taraka Ram, has an 11-month-old baby. We want justice.”

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The incident 

Jubilee Hills Detective Inspector S Veera Shekar explained to South First, “At 5 am on 24 January, 21-year-old Kavoori Ruthvik Reddy, the accused, was recklessly driving a Hyundai Verna with the licence plate TS08JN6663, while under the influence of alcohol.”

He added: “Others in the vehicle, including Polsani Lokeshwar Rao (21), Bulla Abhilash (20), Mogadampally Aniketh (22), and a 23-year-old woman (who the police did not name), were actively encouraging Ruthvik’s dangerous driving.”

The speeding car collided with Taraka Ram’s two-wheeler from behind, said the police, adding that he sustained fatal injuries and died on the spot.

However, instead of reporting the incident to the police, all the occupants of the car approached a friend, G Suresh Reddy (27), who transported them to their respective houses, said the cops.

Following the tragedy, the victim’s sister Chintala Leelavathi reported the incident to the cops.

Subsequently, the Jubilee Hills police registered a case under Sections 304 (2) (if an act is done with the knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without any intention to cause death, etc) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as Section 187 of the Motor Vehicle Act.

The Jubilee Hills Police apprehended the five accused individuals at Maitrivanam in Ameerpet on Thursday evening, and seized the car involved.

They said, “The accused were hiding in fear, hoping that they could escape, but we had already set up teams to search for them. As the family of the victim was protesting, we persisted until we nabbed the accused.”

The last video of Lingala Taraka Ram, holding his 11-month-old baby with kites on Sankranti day, has been circulating on social media.

The general public called for strict punishment and no partiality to the accused involved in the crime.

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(South First reached out to the family, however, there has been no response.)