Hyderabad: Tiff with toddy traders might have killed activist

Hyderabad: Jagtial police suspects that businessman turned RTI activist Podeti Satyanarayana could have been shot dead in a contract killing executed by a Mumbai-based sharpshooter. Satyanarayana was shot dead at Dharmapuri on Wednesday.

There is also suspicion that one Mallesh, an absconding suspect who has a criminal background, could have shot Satyanarayana. A police official said Mallesh was involved in different cases in 2015 under Luxettipet police station limits in Mancherial district.

Sources said Satyanarayana had come to know about the illlegal toddy business being carried out by several persons from north Telangana and started blackmailing them. These toddy merchants held valid licences in Maharashtra but some of them were allegedly involved in illegal trade as well.

Some of them paid up, while others refused. Police said Satyanarayana filed RTI applications seeking details of those who had refused to pay him, and tipped off the agencies concerned. This resulted in these toddy traders losing their licences.

All the cancelled licences were restored recently. Satyanarayana then threatened them that he would file more RTI. On his demand, they decided to settle the matter and planned a meeting at Kamalapuri village.

During the meeting, due to lack of consensus, they went outside and he was shot dead.