Kakinada: A major twist has emerged in the Tuni case involving the alleged rape of a minor girl, as the accused, TDP leader Tatika Narayana Rao, died by suicide while in police custody. The incident occurred on Thursday morning when Narayana Rao, who was being taken to court for a magistrate hearing, requested to use the toilet. He reportedly stepped out of the police vehicle, escaped custody, and jumped into Komati Lake near Tuni. Police launched an immediate search operation with divers, and his body was later recovered. DSP Srihari Raju inspected the site.
The body of Narayana Rao, who was accused of sexually assaulting an eighth-grade student of the Jagannathagiri Gurukulam Girls School, is currently kept at the Tuni Government Hospital. His family members have refused to sign consent papers for the postmortem, demanding that it be conducted in the presence of a magistrate. With the magistrate unavailable, police are making arrangements to proceed in the presence of the RDO or MRO, with the entire procedure to be videographed. DSP Srihari Raju and CI Chennakeshav are holding discussions with the family, while heavy police deployment has been made at the hospital.
According to the investigation, Narayana Rao allegedly lured the minor girl by claiming to be her relative and took her on a scooter to a secluded location. The act came to light after a bystander secretly recorded a video showing the accused and the victim. In the footage, the man filming confronted Narayana Rao, who avoided questions and fled with the girl on his bike. The video went viral on social media, leading to widespread outrage and police action.
The case has triggered political controversy, with YSRCP leaders accusing the TDP and the coalition government of attempting to protect the accused. Following the incident, the government has reportedly taken the matter very seriously and ordered a thorough investigation.