Hyderabad: Six months after YouTuber Vaishnavi was allegedly murdered by her husband, her brother Gandham Santosh (25) claimed responsibility for killing Chittari Haribabu and surrendered before Korutla police late on Thursday night.
Haribabu (26) was attacked at RR Chowrasta around 5pm on Thursday. He was released on bail two months ago and shifted from Jagtial to Nizamabad with his mother, Lakshmi, reportedly fearing retaliation. In a selfie video recorded before surrendering, Santosh claimed that he had lost patience waiting for justice for his sister and allegedly attacked Haribabu after suddenly spotting him on the road.
“While Santosh claimed he had come to Nizamabad on personal work and attacked Haribabu after accidentally encountering him, we have found that Santosh, his mother and two cousins had travelled to Nizamabad in a car, conducted a recce and allegedly planned the attack,” said B Prasad, ACP, Nizamabad. He was filling a water bottle at a pani puri stall when a man who got out of a car parked on the opposite side of the road rushed towards him and attacked him on the head and neck with a knife used to chop coconuts, according to police. “We are now examining the circumstances leading up to the attack, including the movements of Santosh, his mother and the two cousins who came to Nizamabad with him,” said a police officer involved in the probe. “We are also verifying Santosh’s confession against CCTV footage and other evidence to establish the exact roles of those involved.”
Haribabu was arrested in March for allegedly killing his four-month-pregnant wife Vaishnavi at their home in Madapur in Korutla mandal of Jagtial district. He had been selling corn cobs near RR Chowrasta, where the attack took place. Cops, however, stated that their investigation indicated the killing was planned. “After he surrendered before Korutla police in Jagtial, Santosh was handed over to the Nizamabad district police. The attacker then returned to the car and fled. Police reached the spot after being alerted and shifted Haribabu to a govt hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Investigators examined CCTV footage from the area as part of the probe.