Tomato Farmer Tied, Strangled In Andhra Pradesh. Police Suspect Robbery

The farmer recently earned Rs 30 lakh by selling tomatoes in an agricultural market. The murder is suspected to be linked to this.

The assailants intercepted the farmer, tied his hands and legs with silk thread, and strangled him to death with a towel.(Representational image)

Source : Getty Images

A tomato farmer was murdered in Andhra Pradesh's Annamayya district by unidentified persons, IANS reported. While the motive of the murder is not clear, police suspect it to be a case of robbery. 

Narem Rajasekhar Reddy (62) was found murdered on Wednesday in Bodimalladinne village of Madanapalle mandal. Police said he was killed on Tuesday night while he was going to the village to deliver milk. The assailants intercepted him, tied his hands and legs, and strangled him with a towel.

Reddy's wife told the police that some unidentified men had come to the farm, pretending to buy tomatoes. They left when she informed them that her husband had gone to the village.

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The farmer was reported to have earned Rs 30 lakh by selling tomatoes in an agricultural market amid skyrocketing prices of the kitchen staple. The murder is suspected to be linked to this. The police are investigating whether the farmer was carrying any money.

Police said they were investigating the case from all angles. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Keshappa said four teams have been constituted to solve the case. As part of the investigation, police have deployed a sniffer dog as well.

Police suspect that three-four people were involved in the murder. Superintendent of Police Gangadhar Rao also visited the spot and spoke to the victim's family members. The farmer is survived by his wife and two daughters, both of whom are married and live in Bengaluru.

Presently, tomatoes are being sold at Rs 120 per kg in Andhra Pradesh open market. Tomatoes are being sold for around Rs 94 to 95 per kg in Rythu Bazaars while the department's counter is selling them at Rs 50 per kg.