Vijayawada lock-up death: Suspended SHO Nagaraju sent to 14-day judicial custody
Synopsis
A Vijayawada court has sent suspended SHO S.S.V.V. Nagaraju to 14-day judicial custody in the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna — a case marked by deleted CCTV footage, a missing body, and a mother's High Court petition that exposed what investigators now describe as a deliberate cover-up inside Krishnalanka police station.
Key Takeaways
A Vijayawada court remanded suspended SHO S.S.V.V.
Nagaraju to judicial custody for 14 days until 8 July on 24 June .
Gade Sai Krishna , aged 25 , allegedly died of injuries inflicted in custody at Krishnalanka police station after being picked up on 6 May .
CCTV footage from 1 May to 1 June was found to have been deliberately deleted from the police station.
The SIT told the court that Sai Krishna's body was moved to an undisclosed location and attempts were made to bury or burn it.
A case was registered on 19 June under BNS sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 — covering murder, wrongful confinement, and destruction of evidence.
The High Court has directed police to produce Sai Krishna or account for him by 29 June .
A city court in Vijayawada on Wednesday, 24 June remanded suspended police officer S.S.V.V. Nagaraju to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the alleged custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna, aged 25. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which arrested Nagaraju on Tuesday, produced him before the court, which ordered his remand until 8 July.
What the SIT Revealed in Court
The SIT submitted a remand report to the court on Wednesday disclosing several key findings. According to the investigation team, Sai Krishna died of injuries inflicted on him while in custody. The court was further informed that CCTV footage at the Krishnalanka police station was deliberately deleted — with recordings from 1 May to 1 June found missing.
The SIT also told the court that Sai Krishna had handed over his mobile phone to Nagaraju after being brought to the station, but the suspended SHO did not deposit it with a magistrate as required. Investigators added that Nagaraju is not cooperating with the probe and has been providing misleading information.
How Sai Krishna Came to Be in Custody
Sai Krishna, who had pending cases and non-bailable warrants against him, was picked up on 6 May at Markapuram and transferred to Krishnalanka police station. According to the SIT, he was held in illegal custody and subsequently disappeared. A sub-inspector reportedly saw him at the station between 6 May and 8 May. His mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, told investigators she saw her son in an unconscious condition inside the police station.
Alleged Cover-Up and Body Disposal
The SIT informed the court that Sai Krishna's body was removed to an undisclosed location in an apparent attempt to conceal the custodial death. According to investigators, attempts were made to either bury or burn the body. The team stated it is continuing to probe where the body was ultimately disposed of — a critical piece of the investigation that remains unresolved.
Case Background and High Court Intervention
A formal complaint was filed by Vijaya Lakshmi, who alleged her son was tortured and beaten to death in police custody. A case was registered on 19 June under sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering charges of wrongful confinement, murder, and causing the disappearance of evidence.
Vijaya Lakshmi had also filed a Habeas Corpus petition before the High Court, which directed the Krishnalanka police to produce Sai Krishna on 15 June. When police failed to do so, the High Court extended the deadline to 29 June.
About the SIT
The SIT probing the case is headed by Inspector General (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash and includes West Godavari Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi, Alluri Sitharamaraju SP Amit Bardar as members, and Bapatla district Additional SP L. Sudhakar as the investigation officer. The team is examining allegations of wrongful confinement, murder, and evidence tampering against the suspended SHO.
With the body still untraced and the accused officer allegedly withholding cooperation, the case is set to remain under intense judicial and public scrutiny in the days ahead.
Point of View
A body allegedly disposed of, a phone withheld from the magistrate: each act points to a coordinated attempt to erase evidence, not a spontaneous cover-up by a single individual. The High Court's intervention via Habeas Corpus was the only reason this case surfaced at all, which raises an uncomfortable question about how many similar disappearances never reach a court. The SIT's credibility now rests on tracing the body — without it, the murder charge faces a significant evidentiary hurdle regardless of how compelling the circumstantial record appears.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is S.S.V.V. Nagaraju and why was he arrested?
S.S.V.V. Nagaraju was the Circle Inspector and Station House Officer of Krishnalanka police station in Vijayawada. He was arrested by the SIT on Tuesday, 24 June, on allegations of wrongful confinement, murder, and causing the disappearance of evidence in the custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna.
What happened to Gade Sai Krishna in police custody?
Gade Sai Krishna was picked up on 6 May at Markapuram and transferred to Krishnalanka police station, where he was allegedly held in illegal custody. According to the SIT, he died of injuries inflicted on him in custody, after which his body was allegedly moved to an undisclosed location and attempts were made to bury or burn it.
What evidence did the SIT present to the court?
The SIT told the court that CCTV footage from 1 May to 1 June was deliberately deleted from Krishnalanka police station. It also noted that Sai Krishna's mobile phone, handed to the SHO, was not deposited with a magistrate as required. A sub-inspector and Sai Krishna's mother both reportedly saw him at the station between 6 and 8 May.
What charges have been filed in the Vijayawada lock-up death case?
A case was registered on 19 June under sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), covering wrongful confinement, murder, and causing the disappearance of evidence. The complaint was filed by the victim's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi.
What role did the High Court play in this case?
Sai Krishna's mother filed a Habeas Corpus petition before the High Court, which directed Krishnalanka police to produce him on 15 June. When police failed to comply, the court extended the deadline to 29 June — an intervention that brought the case into public and judicial focus.
