Christian pastor from Hyderabad dies in road accident; family suspects murder

RAJAHMUNDRY: Pagadala Praveen Kumar, a Christian preacher from SBI Colony near Tirumalagiri in Hyderabad, allegedly died in a road accident early on Tuesday.
Praveen, a former software engineer who later became a preacher, was traveling to Rajahmundry when the accident occurred on National Highway 16.
According to Rajanagaram police inspector Veerayya Goud, Praveen had departed from Hyderabad on his bullet motorcycle, carrying a luggage bag, on Monday evening.
The accident took place around midnight when Praveen’s motorcycle reportedly skidded as he reached National Highway 16, causing him to fall. He sustained severe head injuries and was left unnoticed until 9am the next day.
Upon learning of the incident, Rajanagaram police arrived at the scene. After reviewing CCTV footage, the police concluded that the motorcycle skidded first, with Praveen falling alongside it and the vehicle landing on top of him.
Despite the police’s conclusion, Praveen’s family and local Christian community leaders are expressing suspicions about the circumstances of his death, suspecting foul play rather than an accident. They are demanding an open post-mortem to ensure transparency in the investigation.
East Godavari superintendent of police (SP) D Narasimha Kishore confirmed that specialised teams have been formed under the supervision of Kovvur DSP G Deva Kumar to further investigate the matter.
Kishore added that a cloud of dust formed when Praveen passed a lorry and a car, which may have contributed to his motorcycle skidding. The police are actively searching for the lorry and car involved in the incident.
A case of suspicious death has been registered based on the complaint filed by the deceased’s relatives, and investigations are ongoing.