Andhra cop booked for custody death of 26-year-old in Vijayawada
Synopsis
A 26-year-old picked up for questioning by Vijayawada police on 9 May has not been seen since. His mother alleges torture and death in custody. The High Court has twice demanded his production — and police have failed both times. Now a suspended Circle Inspector is booked for murder, and the opposition is demanding a CBI probe.
Key Takeaways
Gade Sai Krishna , 26 , has been missing since 9 May after being picked up by Krishna Lanka police station in Vijayawada for questioning.
Suspended Circle Inspector Nagaraju has been booked under BNS sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 for wrongful confinement, murder, and disappearance of evidence.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed police to produce Sai Krishna by 29 June after they failed to comply with an earlier 15 June deadline.
Chandrababu Naidu ordered a senior IPS officer-led probe and suspended the Circle Inspector on 17 June .
Jagan Mohan Reddy has demanded a CBI investigation, alleging senior police officials are also implicated.
Andhra Pradesh Police have registered a case against a suspended police officer for the alleged wrongful confinement, murder, and disappearance of evidence in connection with the death of Gade Sai Krishna, 26, a youth from Vijayawada who went missing after being picked up for questioning on 9 May. The case was filed on a complaint by his mother, Gade Vijaya Lakshmi, who alleges her son was tortured and beaten to death while in police custody.
The Charges and the Accused
The case has been registered against Nagaraju, the suspended Circle Inspector of Krishna Lanka police station, under sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) — covering wrongful confinement, murder, and causing disappearance of evidence. According to Vijaya Lakshmi, police picked up Sai Krishna on 9 May for questioning in an unspecified case, and he has not returned since — a period of more than a month.
High Court Steps In
Vijaya Lakshmi filed a Habeas Corpus petition before the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which directed the Krishna Lanka police to produce Sai Krishna before it on 15 June. When police failed to comply, the court extended the deadline, directing them to produce him by 29 June. The inability of the police to produce the youth has deepened suspicions about his fate.
Government Orders Probe, Suspends Officer
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on 17 June ordered a probe by a senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and simultaneously ordered the suspension of Circle Inspector Nagaraju. East Godavari district Superintendent of Police D. Narasimha Kishore has been tasked to lead the investigation. He is scheduled to meet Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta and Vijayawada Police Commissioner S.V. Rajashekar Babu before visiting Krishna Lanka police station to initiate proceedings.
Opposition Demands CBI Probe
Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy visited Vijayawada and met Vijaya Lakshmi on Thursday, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Reddy alleged that the case implicated not just the suspended Circle Inspector but also senior officials, including the Vijayawada Police Commissioner and the State DGP. He argued that the incident had exposed what he called an alarming breakdown of law and order in Andhra Pradesh — a charge the ruling dispensation has not yet formally responded to.
What Happens Next
The family has demanded a judicial probe and accountability for all those responsible. With the High Court deadline of 29 June approaching and a senior IPS officer now leading the investigation, the coming days will be critical. The case has drawn sharp political attention and is likely to intensify pressure on the state government to account for what happened inside the Krishna Lanka police station.
Point of View
A family left to fight through habeas corpus petitions, and an administration that acts only after judicial pressure and political heat. The High Court's two failed production orders are the most damning detail here — they suggest either that the police do not know where Sai Krishna is, or that they do and are not saying. Chief Minister Naidu's swift suspension of the Circle Inspector is damage control, but the opposition's demand for a CBI probe points to a deeper question: how far up the chain does accountability run? Without an independent inquiry, the risk is that a junior officer becomes the fall guy while institutional failures go unexamined.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gade Sai Krishna and what happened to him?
Gade Sai Krishna was a 26-year-old from Vijayawada who was picked up by Krishna Lanka police on 9 May for questioning in a case. He has not returned since, and his mother alleges he was tortured and beaten to death in police custody.
Who has been booked in the Vijayawada custody death case?
Suspended Circle Inspector Nagaraju of Krishna Lanka police station has been booked under BNS sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 — covering wrongful confinement, murder, and causing disappearance of evidence.
What has the Andhra Pradesh High Court said about the case?
The High Court directed Krishna Lanka police to produce Sai Krishna on 15 June. When police failed to comply, the court extended the deadline to 29 June. The failure to produce the youth has drawn sharp judicial scrutiny.
What action has Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu taken?
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on 17 June ordered a probe by a senior IPS officer and suspended Circle Inspector Nagaraju. East Godavari SP D. Narasimha Kishore has been assigned to lead the investigation.
Why is the opposition demanding a CBI probe?
YSRCP president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy alleges the case involves not just the suspended Circle Inspector but also senior officials including the Vijayawada Police Commissioner and the State DGP. He argues that a state police probe cannot be impartial given the seniority of those allegedly implicated.
