Constable main suspect in pharma tycoon kidnapping bid: Police

A constable of Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP), who had worked with an elite anti-naxal force, has emerged as the prime suspect in the vain bid to abduct top executive of Aurobindo Pharma K Nityananda Reddy at gunpoint here, a senior police officer said tonight.
"We strongly suspect that P Obulesu, who is absconding, is the assailant and was involved in the firing and kidnap attempt of Vice-Chairman of Aurobindo Pharma near a park here yesterday," Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Anjani Kumar said, adding that the suspect was now on deputation with the Excise Department.
"He is absconding...And special teams have been formed to trace him," he said.

In an audacious bid, a man wielding an AK-47 rifle tried to kidnap Reddy as he got into his car after completing his morning walk outside Kasu Brahmananda Reddy (KBR) park at around 0715 hours yesterday.
The attacker entered from the other door and pointed the weapon at Reddy and demanded money. However, Reddy warded him off with the help of his brother who was present there even as bullets went off in the scuffle though nobody got hurt.
The AK-47 rifle used by the accused was the same that was lost by elite anti-naxal force Greyhounds in December last year, police had said yesterday.

The officer said that Obulesu, a native of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh, was on leave for 15-days since November 11.

"He was recruited as constable in APSP Second Battalion at Kurnool of AP in 1998. He was also on deputation to Greyhounds since 2002 till March 2014. He later joined Central Police Line here and since then was on deputation with Excise Department here," Kumar said, adding that police identified Obulesu as the attacker with the help of CCTV footage among other inputs.
The officer replied in the negative when asked about reports claiming that Obulesu has been arrested along with three others. "No one has been arrested. We strongly suspect the role of Obulesu in the incident."

Banjara Hills police have already registered a case on charges of murder (307), kidnapping for ransom (364A) of IPC besides under relevant sections of Arms Act.
The pharma tycoon is one of the accused in the case of alleged quid pro quo investments involving the firms of YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy.