Markapuram police arrest habitual offender

The Markapuram police arrested an individual accused of theft, including stealing gold chains from women and shops to fund his addiction to alcohol and other bad habits. Stolen property, consisting of 83 grams of gold jewellery worth ₹10 lakh and ₹30,000 in cash, was recovered from the accused.

The accused was identified as Gurunadham Brahmayya, 24, from Nallathimmayapalli village, Nandalur mandal, Annamayya district. He had allegedly stolen a gold chain from a woman while she was asleep in her house in Papayapalli village, Bestavaripeta mandal, Markapuram district.

According to the police, Gurunadham made a living by travelling from village to village, trading in plastic. As his income was insufficient to support his family—especially given his habits of drinking and smoking—he sought a way to earn more money. He decided to steal the gold chains worn by women and became accustomed to using the proceeds from these thefts to fund a lavish lifestyle. He has prior theft cases registered against him in Revalli, Mahbubnagar of Telangana, as well as in Venkatagiri and Dakkili in Tirupati and Sullurpeta in Nellore.

Court proceedings regarding these cases are currently ongoing. Most recently, he was arrested in connection with a case at the Revalli police station and was released from Mahabubnagar Jail four months ago. After returning from jail, he settled in Ramayapalli village in the Kanigiri mandal.

Along with his brother-in-law, Naguluri Nagaraju, from Veligandla village, he committed chain-snatching crimes in the villages of Pedda Ullagallu and Purimetla in the Mundlamuru mandal, as well as a burglary at a locked shop in Naguluppalapadu mandal.

Following instructions from Markapuram SP V. Harshavardhan Raju, a team led by Markapuram DSP U. Nagaraju—comprising Cumbum Circle Inspector K. Mallikarjuna, Bestavaripeta In-charge SI A. Siva Krishna Reddy, and other officers—investigated the case. The team successfully solved the case and arrested the accused at Konapalli Cross Roads on Thursday evening (July 9).