Five Convicts Handed Death Penalty in Chittoor Mayor Murder
Five Convicts Handed Death Penalty in Chittoor Mayor Murder
A sessions court in Chittoor sentenced five men to death for killing Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband inside the municipal office in 2015.
A sessions court in Chittoor on Friday pronounced the death penalty for five men convicted of the brutal murder of former Chittoor Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband, Katari Mohan, in November 2015 inside the Chittoor Municipal Corporation office.
The accused — Chandrasekhar alias Chintu (A1), Venkata Chalapathi alias Mulabagilu Venkatesh (A2), Jayaprakash Reddy (A3), Manjunath (A4), and Venkatesh alias Gangannapalli Venkatesh (A5) — were found guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy. The court held that they carried out the attack in broad daylight, barging into Anuradha's chamber and opening fire at point-blank range before assaulting the couple with knives.
The court heard testimony from 57 witnesses and noted the brutality of the crime, which had shocked the state. The proceedings began after a long investigation that saw 27 accused in the frame and the earlier acquittal of 22 others. Anuradha, who belonged to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), died on the way to hospital, while Mohan succumbed to his injuries at the Christian Medical College hospital in Vellore, Tamil Nadu.
The judgment, delivered by the IX Additional District and Sessions Court, marks a tenacious pursuit of justice in one of the district’s most high-profile murder cases. The verdict sends a clear message against violence tied to political and personal feuds that target public figures and disrupt municipal governance.
This decision is viewed by many as a significant milestone in addressing long-stalled cases and reinforcing the rule of law in the region.
Cover image source: Chittoor mayor murder: Five convicts handed death penalty by Andhra Pradesh court 🔗
