A rifle-shooting coach has been arrested in Andhra Pradesh after three members of family died by suicide in Godavari River. Police say suicide notes accused Sheikh Sadiq Khan of harassment, threats, blackmail and pressuring Sowjanya to convert to Islam. Investigators are also examining allegations linking him to the death of Sowjanya’s husband.
A rifle-shooting coach has been arrested in Andhra Pradesh in connection with the deaths of a Panchayat Raj Assistant Engineer, his wife and their daughter, after police recovered suicide notes allegedly naming him and making serious accusations against him. Sheikh Sadiq Khan was arrested in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, on August 22 following a multi-state search, Kakinada district Superintendent of Police G Bindu Madhav said. He was subsequently brought to Andhra Pradesh and remanded to judicial custody. Police are now investigating the allegations contained in the notes and other evidence.
Family dies after jumping into Godavari
The case began after K Nookaraju, an Assistant Engineer with the Panchayat Raj Department, his wife Meena and their daughter Kovvuri Sowjanya died after allegedly jumping into the Godavari River near Rajamahendravaram on the intervening night of August 16 and 17.
Sowjanya’s 10-year-old son survived after being rescued from the river by local fishermen. Police later recovered notes allegedly written by Nookaraju and Sowjanya. Investigators say the notes referred to Sadiq Khan and blamed him for circumstances that allegedly pushed the family towards the extreme step.
Police have stressed that the allegations in the notes are being independently investigated and have not yet been established in court.
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Allegations of harassment and blackmail
According to the complaint and the purported note, Sowjanya had come to know Khan through rifle-shooting training. She allegedly accused him of threatening, blackmailing and harassing her and claimed that he exercised control over parts of her personal and family affairs.
The note also allegedly accused Khan of pressuring her to read Islamic literature and convert to Islam. Police have registered a separate case concerning the allegations relating to religious conversion and insulting religious beliefs.
The first FIR, registered after the family deaths, also contains allegations that Khan had threatened the family, assaulted Sowjanya and demanded money and gold. These claims are based on statements recorded by police and remain subject to investigation.
Earlier death of Sowjanya’s husband under probe
Another major part of the investigation concerns Sowjanya’s husband, Kovvuri Jagadeesh Reddy, who died on July 2.
A complaint by his father, Bhaskara Reddy, was followed by a separate investigation after a purported letter allegedly claimed that Khan had poisoned Jagadeesh Reddy.
Police are examining medical records and other evidence to establish the circumstances of his death and whether it has any connection with the later deaths of Sowjanya and her parents.
Police examine digital and other evidence
Investigators have formed a special team and are examining mobile phones, digital evidence, CCTV footage, call records, medical documents and financial transactions as they reconstruct the events leading up to the deaths.
The police have registered cases involving alleged murder, abetment of suicide, extortion, criminal intimidation and offences relating to religious beliefs. Khan has not been convicted of any of these allegations.
The arrest marks a significant development in a case that has raised questions over the family’s deaths, the earlier death of Jagadeesh Reddy and the allegations made against Khan. Police say the investigation will determine which of the allegations can be supported by independent evidence.
(With ANI inputs)