Telangana: Youth Congress leader Vikram Goud's bullet wounds self-inflicted'
Hyderabad: Youth Congress leader M. Vikram Goud, son of former minister M. Mukesh Goud, sustained bullet injuries that are suspected to be “self-inflicted,” at his residence early on Friday.
WhatsApp conversations of Vikram Goud revealed that several persons were asking him to repay money he had allegedly borrowed. Police suspects that he was facing financial stress and may have resorted to the drama to get money from his father.
Police said they will arrive at a conclusion after questioning Vikram and examining corroborative evidence.
Only Vikram Goud and his family stay in the house at Gayatri Hills in Banjara Hills. Sources in city police said the examination by ballistic experts of the TS Forensic Science Laboratory, Osmania General Hospital, forensic medicine department and Clues team revealed that wounds were ‘black tattooed’ which happens when weapons are fired at close range, almost touching the body.
“The injury and the blackening of skin indicate that he was shot at close range twice. The cartridges have been recovered from the scene,” said Hyderabad police commissioner M. Mahender Reddy.
Doctors at Apollo Hospitals collected gun shot residue from hands which will be sent for testing. “As his body was cleaned up it is not easy to get GSR but we have to see,” said an expert. Gun shot residue from his wife’s hand was also collected.
A top official of the city police said, “Vikram Goud is not revealing what happened though he is conscious and talking. He is saying he will talk to us later. His wife said they were going to a dargah at 3.30 am to feed the poor, which is not corroborated. The angle of fire appeared that the weapon was in close range, in touch with the cloth. If someone shot him there should be some distance.” Ballistic experts by analysing the bullets and cartridges said a 7.65 pistol was used in the incident. The pistol is not found so far. Police said Vikram Goud had no gun licence; his earlier licence was cancelled due to criminal cases.
The driver and watchman at the house said they hadn’t seen anyone and CCTV cameras at the house were not working. Analysis of footage from few CCTV cameras from nearby houses didn’t reveal any suspicious activity.
Police said Vikram Goud’s WhatsApp conversations said there were news story clippings pertaining to ongoing Tollywood drug case. Vikram Goud was a film producer earlier. Film director Puri Jagannadh came to the hospital and met him. “His wife stated that she heard gunshots while she was changing upstairs. She claimed when she rushed down she saw him in a pool of blood with injuries near the sofa in the hall,” said an investigation official from Banjara Hills.
Police set out three distinct possibilities. “He must have been shot by an insider, who was in the house, but only his wife and children were there at the time of incident. The second is that he must have shot himself, not to kill himself but to scare someone or divert attention. The third possibility is that someone from outside, his rivals, must have come and shot him. But there are no signs of a break-in,” said a senior official investigating the incident.
Political career was a failure
Moola Vikram Goud was the Congress candidate for Mayor of Hyderabad last year. Former minister Mukesh Goud’s son contested the municipal corporation elections in 2016 from Janbagh (Ward 77), but lost by a huge margin even though the division falls in Goshmahal Assembly constituency, which once elected his father.
The MIM’s D. Mohan, a childhood friend of Mukesh Goud, won seat.
Vikram Goud was the general secretary of the Youth Congress in undivided AP. He returned to Hyderabad after completing his MBA in the UK. He joined the Congress in 2008, when Dr Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy was Chief Minister.
He contested elections to the Metro Water Board Union, but lost twice to irrigation minister T. Harish Rao. His father was a minister then. He went on to handle his father’s constituency. There were allegations that Vikram Goud was involved in extortion and land and finance settlements, especially in Begum Bazar division and cases have been booked against him
It is believed that Mukesh Goud’s brother parted ways with him because of his intervention in political affairs. Vikram’s Goud’s alleged association with notorious gangster Chor Khaiser had raised many eyebrows.
He had produced Telugu movies such as Homam, Ishq, and Gunde Jaari Gallan Tainde. He is also believed to own a restaurant-cum-club in Madhapur.
