Man sentenced to death for killing six family members in Andhra in 2021

The accused entered a man's house in a village of Pendurthi mandal and hacked six of his family members to death over a longstanding land dispute.

A local court on Friday sentenced a 50-year-old man to death for the brutal murder of six family members in Visakhapatnam district on April 15, 2021.

Terming it a case of "extreme brutality", the court noted that six lives, including two children, were taken in cold blood.

Battina Appalaraju entered the house of Bommidi Ramana in Juthada village of Pendurthi mandal and hacked six of his family members to death over a longstanding land dispute between the two families.

The victims included Bommidi Ramana (63), Usharani (35), Alluri Ramadevi (53), Nakkella Aruna (37), a six-month-old infant, and a two-year-old child.

After committing the murders, Appalaraju surrendered at the local police station.

Terming it a case of "extreme brutality", the court noted that six lives, including two children, were taken in cold blood.

Following the trial, the court awarded Appalaraju the death penalty. It also sentenced him to up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment under various IPC sections and imposed fines.