Man In Visakhapatnam Sentenced To Death For Murder Of 6 People

On 25 June 2025, a man in Visakhapatnam was sentenced to death for the murder of six people in 2021. The IV Additional District and Sessions Judge, M Nageswara Rao, described the case as falling under the “rarest of rare” category while delivering the verdict against Battina Appalaraju (50).

According to case records, the murders stemmed from a long-standing personal dispute between Appalaraju and Bimidi Vijay Kiran, neighbours living in Yathapeta locality in Juttada village under Pendurthi mandal. Vijay had a close relationship with Appalaraju’s daughter Parvathi, which Appalaraju took as an insult, and even lodged a police complaint, accusing the family members of sexually assaulting his daughter in 2018. 

Some time after Vijay and his family moved to Vijayawada for livelihood, and returned to the village to attend his cousin’s wedding scheduled on 13th May 2021. Appalaraju, looking for the right opportunity, armed with a hunting sickle, executed the attack. On April 15, 2021, Appalaraju entered Vijay’s house during the early hours and hacked six members of the family to death while they were asleep.

The victims included Vijay’s father, Bamidi Ramana (61), his mother-in-law, Alluri Ramadevi (47), his wife, Usha Rani (31), His two children, a three-year-old boy, and a six-month-old infant and Nakkella Aruna (46), Usha Rani’s relative. Vijay and his eldest son escaped attack as they were not present in the area during the brutality. Following the incident, Appalaraju surrendered himself to the police.

The court noted that the manner in which the crime was committed, particularly the killing of two minors and three women, was both premeditated and exceptionally brutal. In its judgment, the court imposed the death penalty under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, along with fines and additional imprisonment under relevant sections.

As per legal procedure, the death sentence will be referred to the Andhra Pradesh High Court for confirmation. The convict also retains the right to appeal before the Supreme Court and file a mercy petition with the President of India.

The judgment against the man for the murder of six people marks one of the rare instances where someone is sentenced to death in Visakhapatnam.

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