YS Viveka’s Murder: Culprits Admit Crime, Explain Reasons

The brutal murder of former Kadapa MP and brother of former CM YSR, YS Vivekananda Reddy, at his own residence in Pulivendula on March 15, 2019 became quite sensational. It became a huge political subject as both TDP and YSRCP blamed one another. The CBI probe was ordered in this high-profile murder. As per the latest reports, the mystery surrounding Viveka’s murder seems to be resolved.

As per YS Viveka’s former driver Dastagiri’s sensational confession, Viveka was murdered by Erra Gangireddy, former follower and dairy trader Gajjala Umashankar Reddy, Sunil Yadav and ex-driver Dastagiri himself. In Dastagiri’s confession to the investigation officials, he admitted, “YS Viveka was murdered due to financial disputes. YS Viveka lost in the 2017 MLC election and believed that he was lost due to Erra Gangireddy’s cheating. Since then, Viveka was angry with Erra Gangireddy. Viveka used to attend Bangalore’s land dispute settlement. When Gangireddy had asked for his share in the settlement, an angry Viveka had kept Gangireddy aside.”

“I quit my work at YS Viveka in 2018. But I often used to meet Erra Gangireddy, Umashankar Reddy and Sunil Yadav. On Feb 2, 2019, Gangireddy had taken Uma Shankar Reddy, Sunil Yadav and me to his residence. During the discussion, Gangireddy had asked me to kill YS Viveka to which I refused to do. They said they would accompany me in the killing. As per Gangireddy, big names were involved in YS Viveka’s murder. Gangireddy had told me that Avinash Reddy, Bhaskar Reddy and Manohar Reddy and Shankar Reddy were behind the murder. Gangireddy said Shankar Reddy would give Rs 40 Crore for the murder and my share in it would be Rs 5 Crore,” said Dastagiri.

Dastagiri continued, “Four days after this meeting at Gangireddy’s house, Sunil Yadav had given me 1 Crore. But he took Rs 25 lakh from me again. I’ve saved the remaining Rs 75 lakh with my friend Munna. Sunil and Uma Shankar had killed YS Viveka’s dog by hitting it with their car. I had bought an axe from Kadiri for this murder operation and handed it over to Sunil.”

Recreating the scene of crime, Dastagiri said that Erra Gangireddy, Uma Shankar, Sunil and Dastagiri had gone to YS Viveka’s house on the fateful 15th March, 2019. While Gangireddy was the first who gatecrashed the house, others followed him into Viveka’s house by jumping the compound wall. “A heated argument took place between Viveka and Gangireddy over the share of the land settlement. Angry Sunil had beaten Viveka on his face by using foul language. Viveka had fallen to the ground and that’s when Uma Shankar had attacked Viveka with the axe. The wounded Viveka was threatened to write a letter. Later, Viveka was taken into the bathroom where he was murdered with the axe. After the murder, Gangireddy, Uma Shankar, Sunil Yadav and myself (Dastagiri) had fled the scene by jumping off the compound wall.”

Dastagiri’s sensational confession and crime scene recreation has come as a huge shocker. His statement was recorded under section 164. It can be noted that Dastagiri had given a statement in this case in Proddatur court on 30th August. Meanwhile, it can be noted that YS Viveka’s watchman Rangayya had also confessed in his statement that he witnessed Erra Gangiredy, Umashankar Reddy, Sunil Yadav and Dastagiri escaping from the crime spot by jumping the wall. The investigation sleuths reconciled the sequence of events and the method of operation in Viveka’s murder and the investigation findings seem to be matching with watchman and eye-witness Rangayya’s statement.

With Dastagiri revealing the names of YS Jagan’s close relative and Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy, and relatives YS Bhaskar Reddy, YS Manohar Reddy and alleged their involvement in Viveka’s murder has become a hot topic and expected to create a political storm in the state.