Pranay murder case convict dies after complaining of chest pain in Cherlapally jail

Abdul Bari, one of the convicts serving a life sentence for the murder of Pranay Kumar in Miryalaguda in 2018, died after complaining of chest pain in Cherlapally jail on Thursday.

Bari, who was named accused number four (A4) in the case, was shifted from jail to Gandhi Hospital after the complaint. He died during treatment at the hospital. His body was kept at the hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Bari, a resident of Pyarasabhag Colony in Nalgonda, was among the six accused sentenced to life imprisonment by a Nalgonda court in March 2025. The court awarded death sentence to hitman Subash Kumar Sharma.

Pranay was hacked to death outside a private hospital in Miryalaguda on 14 September 2018, shortly after his inter-caste marriage to Amrutha Varshini against her family’s wishes.

The police alleged that Amruth’s father, T. Maruthi Rao, arranged the murder. According to the charges, Rao contacted Bari through Abdul Kareem, after which Bari and Asghar Ali allegedly helped arrange the hitman. The deal was eventually settled at ₹1 trillion.

Maruthi Rao, the main accused, died by suicide at a guest house in Khairatabad on 8 March 2020, while the trial was ongoing. The police found an alleged suicide note addressed to Amruth.

The trial continued against the remaining defendants, culminating in a verdict in March 2025.

Published – 24 Sep 2026 23:47 IST