Vijayawada: NRI man found dead in car

Vijayawada: Florida-based NRI businessman and Coastal Bank director Mr Chigurupati Jayaram was found dead in the back seat of his car with bloodstains in the farmlands near Aitavaram village of Krishna district on Friday morning.

Nandigama deputy superintendent of police A.S.C. Bose said Jayaram had set off from his Hyderabad home in a car two days ago for Vijayawada. Though it was reported that he was driving the car, police said that CCTV footage at different toll gates showed a man wearing a white shirt behind the wheel. Mr Jayaram never reached Vijayawada.

Highway patrol police found his car in the farmland beside national highway 65 and identified him with the help of his cellphone and identity card. Jayaram’s body was found on the car’s back seat with blood stains and bruises on his body. Also, his hands had turned black.

DSP Bose said Mr Jayaram’s car crossed Panthangi toll plaza at 8.30 pm on Thursday after which the car was found abandoned in the farmlands near Aitavaram. He said liquor bottles were found in the car.

The cause of death will be known after a post-mortem. Nandigama police have registered a case and begun probe.

 Krishna district superintendent of police Mr Sarvasreshth Tripathi said four teams had been formed to probe the case.

Mr Jayaram resides in Florida and had recently come to Hyderabad while his family is in the US. He first started a pharmaceutical company and later several other companies, including Coastal Bank. A year ago, he had launched a Telugu regional news channel and was arrested over non-payment of salary to employees