By Express News Service
RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Police exhumed the body of Ramakrishna Swamiji (47), another victim of serial killer Simhadri alias Siva on Monday in the presence of the tahsildar and other officials.
He was a preacher at Sri Ramakrishna Ashramam located at Purushottapatnam of Sitanagaram mandal here. He was Siva’s sixth victim and was given the cyanide-laced prasadam at the ashram on April 28, 2018.
Rajamahendravaram North Zone deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Satyanarayana Rao told TNIE that the body of Swamiji was cremated by the inmates of the ashram thinking that he died of a heart attack.
“When Siva was arrested in Eluru, he confessed to killing Swamiji. So, we exhumed his body. Based on the information provided by Simhadri, Swamiji was his associate in illegal activities such as cheating people by promising to double their wealth with the help of an akshayapatra,” the DSP said.
However, both of them developed differences. Siva was wary of Swamiji and decided to kill him.
On April 28, last year, he travelled by bus to Sitanagaram and from there, by auto to Purushottapatnam. He served the Ramakrishna Swamiji the prasadam, claiming it was some ayurvedic medicine, after consuming which the latter died immediately.
When he was taken to a local hospital, doctors declared him brought dead. In the absence of any suspicion, he was thought to have died of a heart attack.
“Post-mortem was conducted at the spot and the police collected some vital clues, after which the body was buried again. We will file a petition in the court seeking custody of the serial killer and organise an identification parade.
We may request for recreation of the crime scene that unfolded on April 28 last year,” Satyanarayana Rao said.
It was learnt that the victim was married but he was deserted by his wife because of his lifestyle and involvement in criminal activities.