Did Actor Uday Kiran Attempt Suicide Before?

Did young Tollywood actor Uday Kiran attempt suicide earlier? Though police said they had no such information, it is learnt the depressed actor reportedly attempted suicide in his rented apartment a few months ago. Ever since, Uday Kiran’s alleged suicide attempt in his bedroom, his wife Vishitha began spending more time with him and used to be in constant touch over mobile phone when she is away. On Sunday night too, when Uday Kiran did not answer her call, Vishitha, who was away, suspected something wrong and asked her parents to go to her flat. On her return home, she noticed the body hanging from the ceiling and called the 108 emergency medical service and Banjara Hills police. Uday Kiran was supposed to accompany Vishitha to a birthday party at the house of a close friend of Vishitha in the city. He, however, managed to convince his wife to attend the party alone. When Vishitha left, her father Govind Rajan and mother kept company with Uday at the flat, watching a movie on the TV. Minutes after Govind Rajan and his wife left for their home in Manikonda, the actor took the extreme step. Govind Rajan said there were no disputes between Vishitha and Uday Kiran. “He was worried over his career due to lack of film offers,” said Rajan. It is learnt that the actor’s father VVK Murthy is living along with his second wife separately after the actor got married to Vishitha. The young actor, who got married against Murthy’s wishes, had a rift with him over property. Finally, the body of the actor was shifted to his rented house in Srinagar colony. The Movie Artistes Association (MAA) will shift the body to its office for paying condolences. Later, the final rites will be held at Erragadda graveyard on Tuesday.

Cops Told to Probe Actor’s Suicide

Hyderabad: A practicing advocate on Monday filed a petition before the AP Human Rights Commission seeking investigation into Tollywood actor Uday Kiran’s suicide. However, the Commission advised the petitioner to approach the police. It directed the police to investigate the issue. PN Arun Kumar filed the petition alleging that the actor was cheated by the Telugu film industry and faced discrimination by a section of producers and actors. The state government gives incentives to the Telugu film industry for making good movies. However, a section of people control the industry, he said. Uday Kiran faced problems in Tollywood and was depressed due to financial problems.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

NY Began on Sad Note for the Family

IIT-Kanpur

The new year start on a bad note for a 40-year-old Armed Reserve constable who received a call from the student affairs staff of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kanpur saying that his 20-year-old son G Sai Kumar Reddy, a student of second-year B.Tech course in material science and metallurgical engineering, died after being hit by a train.The grief-stricken father, G Srinivasa Reddy, who visited Kanpur on Thursday to receive his son’s body, told Express over phone that he wanted to receive his son who was supposed to arrive at Ongole for Sankranti. ‘’My son was brilliant and had secured fifth rank in EAMCET and was selected for BITS, Pilani and NIT, Warangal in EEE stream. He also got admission to IIT-Kanpur. The new year brought me bad luck,” he said. IIT-Kanpur campus authorities confirmed that Sai Kumar participated in the new year celebrations held on the campus. Later, he went out. He was knocked down by train when he was walking towards a dhabha near the second exit gate. As the accident took place at midnight, no one noticed it then and it came to light on the following day.IIT-Kanpur student welfare dean Prof AK Ghosh told Express over phone that Reddy was a meritorious student.Kalyanpur police of Kanpur told the campus authorities that it prima facie appeared that the student was run over by the train.The railway police found a mobile phone near the mutilated body and the call data provided some clues on the identity of the  body. It is learnt that Sai Kumar Reddy had reserved tickets to his native place for Sankranti vacation. A 20-year-old Telugu student of the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur died on the spot after hitting a moving train near IIT campus in Kanpur on December 31 night. The accident took place when the victim was reportedly walking towards a dhaba across railway tacks.The deceased was identified as G Sai Kumar Reddy, second year B Tech student pursuing Material Science and Metallurgical Engineering, native of Ankampalem village of Ardhaveedu mandal in Prakasam district. His father G Srinivasa Reddy is an Armed Reserve (AR) constable working in bomb disposal squad in Ongole.The body of the student was found on railway tracks near the campus on the Kanpur-Farrukhabad railway line on Wednesday morning. A probe is being conducted to ascertain whether it was a case of suicide or accident, officials said. According to the postmortem report, the body was hit by a heavy object, due to which it is assumed that he might have been hit by a train accidentally. IIT-Kanpur student welfare Dean Prof A K Ghosh ruled out reports that he was depressed and may have committed suicide. The victim was an average student and was never involved in any conflicts with other students.‘’We are investigating it. A four-member panel has been formed by the institute, to look into the matter. It will submit a report within seven days,” he said. Parents of the victim reached Kanpur on Thursday. The Kanpur police handed over the body of victim to his parents. The victim’s father told Express from Kanpur that they have taken the body after postmortem and will leave to their native place. The final rites of the victim would be held at Ankampalem on Friday.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

Priya's Killer Suspected to be a Psycho, Behaves Well with Cops

General hatred towards people is what made Karan Kumar brutally kill six-year-old T Priya Darshini in full public view at the Secunderabad railway station on Tuesday. Investigators said that Kumar, who is suffering from a chronic disease, began hating people after his relatives, friends and locals in his native reportedly ostracised him from the society due to his illness followed by his strange behaviour. Meanwhile, AP Lokayukta justice B Subhashan Reddy on Wednesday directed the Railway SP, Secunderabad, Sarvasreshth Tripathi to appear before the Lokayukta and give an explanation before December 16 in connection with the incident. It was on a petition filed by the AP Balala Hakkula Sangham that the Railways SP was asked to give an explanation. The Sangham also sought Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family. Sources associated with the investigation told Express that Kumar behaved normally with them soon after he was arrested. Quoting Kumar, sources said that he hails from Vijayapuram in Chittoor district and suffered ostracism due to his illness. ‘’This discrimination is what turned him into a psycho and he fled his village and ended up in Secunderabad railway station,’’ sources said adding that there was no specific motive to kill the girl. Sources further said that, Karan Kumar was in love with a woman in his native village but she reportedly rejected his proposal. This, they said, was also one of the causes why Kumar developed hatred towards people at large. ‘’He also claims that the locals used to throw stones at him in his village but all this is yet to be verified,’’ they said. SP, Railway police, Secunderabad, Sarvasreshth Tripathi said that there was no particular motive for Kumar to commit the offence. ‘’The accused might have been upset due to personal issues. The accused also told the doctors that he is suffering from a disease. His villagers who came to know about his health-related problems, started discriminating him by not talking to him or avoiding him. He used to face such problems in his college where he was pursuing BA first year,’’ he said. Karan Kumar’s parents Govinda Swamy and Kanthamma admitted him in a hospital in Tirupati. However, he took some amount from his parents and ran away from the hospital sometime ago. The railway police produced the accused before the railway court and shifted to Chanchalguda Central Prison for judicial remand.
Security to be Beefed up at Rly StNs: SCR general manager PK Srivastava informed that they will give compensation as per rules to parents of the girl and will extend all other support if required. ‘’Such incidents give bad name to the SCR,” he said. He said that he spoke to the DGP and opined that strict action should be taken against the accused.  When asked about what kind of action is contemplated to avoid such incidents, Srivastava said, ‘’We will ensure that no unauthorised person other than ticket holders will be allowed in the station. We will also conduct a drive against hawkers, beggars and drunkards.’’

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

Doubts over safety at railway stations

Are our railway stations safe places for passengers? The murder of a 6-year-old girl by an insane man at the Secunderabad railway station on Tuesday makes one wonder whether railway stations are death-traps for passengers. If one enters the Secunderabad railway station through the main gate, one can notice many strangers and anti-socials misbehaving with passengers. Apart from some embarrassing incidents of street kids, clad in murky attire, begging, one can even see drug consumption in nooks and corners. Railway police superintendent Sarvasreshth Tripathi told Express that the railway police would take stern action against those involved in anti-social activities and said the murder of the girl, who went to the station with her father and grandmother, was the first of such crime at the station. “We will take the issue seriously and also have directed the railway police to be vigilant in all railway stations in keep tracking the movements of persons to ascertain as to whether they are genuine passengers or not. If railway police notice any drug addict inhaling ganja and other narcotic substances, we will bring them to police station and will provide proper counselling with the assistance of various NGOs,” said Tripathi.  Explaining the security measures that were taken by the railway police, Tripathi sought advice from the public for better policing at railway stations. “We strive to provide the best security to passengers and more CCTV cameras will be installed to track the movements of suspects,” the SP added. With a number of NGOs working with the railway police, the number of cases of drug abuse, theft and drinking at railway stations has come down in the past two years. The railway police are keen to work with other NGOs who strive to rescue runaway kids and street children. “We conduct frisking and do thorough checking at all entrances of the Secunderabad railway station regularly. We also seek public help to protect passengers and ensure their safe journey,” Tripathi said.

By Moule Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

Cobra brings traffic to a snail's pace

Traffic jams are pretty common in the city for various reasons. But on Wednesday, an unusual incident brought traffic to a standstill for well over two hours in the busy and posh Jubilee Hills and sent commuters into a tizzy. It all started when a fearsome Cobra strayed into Road No 12 and stayed put right in the middle of the road. It was obviously scared as were the people but none ventured to either guide it or chase it to the roadside. Finally, one of the motorists, using his presence of mind, alerted actor and active member of the Friends of Snakes Society, Sai Kiran. The Nuvvekavali star rushed to the spot with some of his friends and rescued the venomous snake much to the relief of the commuters. Even as this hungama was unfolding, the Traffic Police too were alerted. However, by the time they arrived, Sai Kiran had done their job. The snake was later freed in the KBR Park. “The Cobra is just a little over two years. It was scared,” a visibly happy Sai Kiran said after the little adventure. The police, however, had to sweat it out for a good two hours thereafter to clear the traffic.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

Parties move from pubs to farmhouses

With police cracking the whip on pubs and other places of amusement such as lounges and hookah centres, many youngsters choosing farmhouses located on city outskirts to celebrate the weekends. Police said many owners are converting their farmhouses into commercial amusement places without proper permits and attracting youngsters to organise parties there. Chevella DSP K Silpavalli told Express that they have specific information that many owners of farmhouses are involved in organising parties illegally. “We are keeping a vigil on such activities and will take stern action against the owners for violating rules. Police will not object if anyone organises personal events or family functions at farmhouses. But, they should not be used as commercial places, inviting people and charges amounts,” she added. Ahead of the New Year, Ranga Reddy police will issue notices to all farmhouse owners not to indulge in organising commercial events or parties in respective farmhouses without permission. The Special Operations Team (SOT), Cyberabad, busted a three-member gang involved in supplying Ephedrin, a narcotic substance, at Rajendranagar recently. They revealed that the gang used to supply the drug to collegegoers, youngsters etc. The SOT police said the accused confessed that they supplied the drug to some farmhouse owners who organise weekend parties at Chevella, Shabad, Shankerpally and Parigi in Ranga Reddy district.

By Moule Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com

Gujarat CM casts a spell on Tollywood too

It was not the Aam Janta alone that was chanting the NaMO mantra. Tollywood bigwigs were in fair attendance at Hotel Park Hyatt, where Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi had a meeting with them. Actor Mohan Babu’s daughter Lakshmi Manchu, who led the team of Telugu film fraternity to meet and greet Modi, told Express that the meeting was apolitical and the actors had a candid chat with Modi about Gujarat’s growth story and the contribution of Telugus to Gujarat’s success. “May God bless him to become our next prime minister,” Lakshmi said. Mohan Babu and his son Vishnu; directors K Raghavendra Rao and Ramgopal Varma; music director MM Kiravani; producers Allu Aravind and C Kalyan; and actors Suman, Jagapathi Babu, Balakrishna, Murali Mohan, Krishnam Raju, Kota Srinivasa Rao, Suresh Babu and Rana Daggubati were amont those who met Modi. The Tollywood personalities explained the prevailing situation in the state after the announcement of separate Telangana state by the Congress party. Mohan Babu said he was very proud of his daughter Lakshmi Manchu for organising the ‘meet and greet’ for the film fraternity with Modi. He had an exclusive opportunity to share some insights about the state. May the Lord bless him (Modi) to be our next PM, he said. Director Ram Gopal Varma posted on twitter that the closing line of Narendra Modi’s speech in the city made the whole crowd chant “Jai Telangana, Jai Seemandhra” together, which is pure genius. Actor Balakrishna also met Modi and invited him for his younger daughter Tejaswini’s wedding. Lakshmi Manchu told Express that her father and she invited Narendra Modi to visit Tirupati to have a darshan of Lord Venkateswara. “Modi invited Mohan Babu and Balakrishna to visit Gujarat. It was a constructive meeting. Gujarat’s success is inspiring. He shared views on the current state of affairs in the state and hoped that people from all the three regions progress and prosper equally,” Manchu said.

By Mouli Mareedu
moulimareedu@gmail.com