Tirupati wedding hall horror: Mediator, his friend hacked to death in revenge attack

TIRUPATI: A double murder reported at a Kalyana Mandapam near the Lakshmipuram locality, rocked the temple city of Tirupati late on Wednesday. Preliminary police investigation revealed that mediation in a marital life between a couple led to the double murder.According to Tirupati east CI Srinivasulu, the deceased were identified as Munirathnam Yadav (41) and his friend Manikanta (35).According to the Tirupati east police, a group of five assailants including a woman, arrived in bikes at the Kalyana Mandapam and indiscriminately attacked Munirathnam and his friend Manikanta with knives.While Munirathnam died on the spot, Manikanta succumbed to injuries while being treated at the hospital.Preliminary police investigation revealed that Munirathnam works as a petty trader at Tirumala and Manikanta was a cab driver.A few years ago Munirathnam had mediated the wedding of a couple who later got separated after the husband identified as Sunil ditched his wife for no reason and started living separately.When Munirathnam came to know that Sunil would be attending a wedding at Padmavathi Kalyana Mandapam near Lakshmipuram circle, he went there along with his friend Manikanta and confronted him.

After Sunil immediately informed his family about being confronted by Manikanta, Sunil’s family members including his father arrived at the Kalyana Mandapam at around 10 pm on Wednesday night and indiscriminately attacked Munirathnam and Manikanta with knives.While Munirathnam died on the spot, Manikanta was rushed to the SVRR govt general hospital but died while undergoing treatment at around 11 pm.Tirupati east police inspected the crime scene and recorded the statements of the witnessed and the family members of the deceased.Police registered a case and analysed available CCTV surveillance footage. Three among the five accused were reportedly taken into custody by the police.