Vijayawada custodial death: SIT arrests 2 more cops, total reaches 5
Synopsis
Five police personnel have now been arrested in the alleged custodial death of 25-year-old Gade Sai Krishna in Vijayawada — and the SIT says CCTV footage at the police station was deliberately wiped. With a suspended SHO already in remand and fresh arrests mounting, this case is exposing a systematic attempt to cover up what happened inside Krishna Lanka police station.
Key Takeaways
The SIT arrested constables Babu Rao and Sambaiah on 1 July , bringing total arrests in the case to five .
Both were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days — Babu Rao to Avanigadda jail , Sambaiah to Gannavaram jail .
Gade Sai Krishna (25) was picked up on 6 May and allegedly beaten to death in the lockup; his body was reportedly disposed of at an electric crematorium.
The SIT confirmed to court that CCTV footage at the police station was deliberately deleted.
Suspended SHO S.S.V.V.
Nagaraju , the main accused, was arrested on 23 June and is in judicial remand until 8 July .
The case was registered under the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on 19 June on a complaint by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi .
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged custodial death of Gade Sai Krishna in Vijayawada arrested two more police constables on 1 July, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five. The accused — constables Babu Rao and Sambaiah, listed as accused numbers five and six — were produced before a Second ACM Court, which remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days.
Latest Arrests and Remand
The court directed that Babu Rao be lodged in Avanigadda jail and Sambaiah in Gannavaram jail. Both constables were serving at Krishna Lanka police station and are alleged to have assisted the main accused, suspended Circle Inspector S.S.V.V. Nagaraju, in the events surrounding Sai Krishna's death.
The SIT is also reportedly questioning Suresh, said to be a friend of Nagaraju, as part of its ongoing investigation.
Timeline of the Case
Sai Krishna (25) was picked up by police on 6 May at Markapuram and transferred to Krishna Lanka police station. His family alleged he was beaten to death in the lockup and his body disposed of at an electric crematorium. The SIT has since confirmed to a lower court that Sai Krishna died of injuries inflicted on him in custody. Investigators also informed the court that CCTV footage at the police station was deliberately deleted.
A case was registered on 19 June under sections 127(4), 127(6), 103(1), and 238 of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), following a complaint by Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi, who alleged her son was tortured and killed in custody.
Earlier Arrests and Surrenders
Suspended SHO Nagaraju was arrested by the SIT on 23 June; a city court subsequently sent him to judicial remand until 8 July. Two head constables, Ashok and Nani, who had allegedly gone into hiding after Nagaraju's arrest, surrendered before police on Monday, 29 June. They were questioned by the SIT on Tuesday and later remanded to judicial custody. The state government has suspended both head constables.
Charges and SIT Composition
The SIT is probing allegations of wrongful confinement, murder, and causing the disappearance of evidence against the suspended SHO and other accused. The team is headed by Inspector General (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash and comprises 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.
With five arrests made and at least one more person under questioning, the investigation is deepening — and the full chain of accountability within Krishna Lanka police station is yet to be established.
Point of View
Yet the central question remains unanswered: how did a 25-year-old picked up on a warrant disappear without a single official record triggering an alert? The BNS charges of wrongful confinement, murder, and evidence destruction point to a systemic failure of oversight, not merely rogue behaviour. Andhra Pradesh's government will face mounting pressure to explain why internal checks — custody registers, magistrate production norms, CCTV protocols — failed at every level.
NationPress
1 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gade Sai Krishna and what happened to him?
Gade Sai Krishna was a 25-year-old man who was picked up by police on 6 May at Markapuram and transferred to Krishna Lanka police station in Vijayawada. His family alleges he was beaten to death in the lockup and his body disposed of at an electric crematorium; the SIT has since confirmed to a court that he died of injuries inflicted in custody.
How many police personnel have been arrested so far?
Five police personnel have been arrested as of 1 July — suspended SHO S.S.V.V. Nagaraju, head constables Ashok and Nani, and constables Babu Rao and Sambaiah. The SIT is also questioning at least one other individual linked to the case.
What charges have been filed in the Vijayawada custodial 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 Sai Krishna's mother, Vijaya Lakshmi.
What is the significance of the deleted CCTV footage?
The SIT informed a lower court that CCTV footage at Krishna Lanka police station was deliberately deleted, indicating a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence. This detail has strengthened the case against the accused and is central to the SIT's investigation into evidence tampering.
Who is leading the SIT probe into the Vijayawada custodial death?
The SIT is headed by Inspector General (Law and Order) M. Ravi Prakash, with West Godavari SP Adnan Nayeem Asmi and Alluri Sitharamaraju SP Amit Bardar as members, and Bapatla district Additional SP L. Sudhakar as the investigation officer.
