Gangster Suri murder accused Bhanu arrested

Hyderabad, April 21 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Police Saturday arrested Bhanu Kiran alias Bhanu, the key accused in the murder of dreaded gangster Suryanarayana Reddy alias Maddelachervu Suri.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) personnel arrested Bhanu at Zaheerbad in Medak district and brought him to Hyderabad. The CID has began questioning him.

Bhanu was evading arrest for over a year and was reportedly moving around by changing his attire and appearance.

Suri, a key accused in former state minister and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Paritala Ravi's murder, was shot dead in Hyderabad on Jan 3, 2011.

Bhanu, a close aide of Suri, murdered him following differences over some financial matters. While four associates of Bhanu were arrested, he was on the run, evading arrest.

A native of Annatapur district, Bhanu was involved in several criminal cases. He was playing a key role in settling land disputes in and around Hyderabad and was allegedly involved in extortion.

Ravi, a former minister and leader of the state's main opposition TDP, was gunned down in Anantapur town Jan 24, 2005, allegedly by Suri's followers.

Suri, an accused in 1997 Jubliee Hills bomb blast case, had come out of jail in 2010.

The factional rivalry between the families of Ravi and Suri hit the national headlines in 2010 following the release of "Rakta Charitra", a multilingual film by Ram Gopal Varma.