Hyderabad: Police Apprehend Notorious House Burglar Involved in 80 Cases
The Cyberabad police have arrested a notorious house burglar, Bathula Prabhakar alias Raju, who was involved in 80 burglary cases across Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and other states. The arrest followed a dramatic incident on Saturday night when the accused opened fire on police officers during an attempt to evade capture.
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Prabhakar, also known by aliases Rahul, Bayyapu, and Bittu, is a 30-year-old from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. He has been committing house burglaries since 2013 and has been arrested seven times in the past by various police stations in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
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During his arrest, the police seized a significant cache of items, including three country-made weapons with six magazines, 451 live rounds of ammunition (7.6 MM), two fired cartridges, Rs 62,000 in cash, three mobile phones, an iron rod, and other tools. Investigations revealed that Prabhakar purchased firearms and ammunition from Bihar with the help of his associates.
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The incident that led to his capture occurred in the Gachibowli area. While conducting checks near Prism Pub, police officers noticed Prabhakar behaving suspiciously. When questioned, he gave vague answers and tried to flee. In the process, he opened fire at Head Constables Venkat Reddy, Pradeep, and Veera Swamy. During the scuffle, Venkat Reddy sustained a bleeding injury to his left leg thumb finger and was rushed to Continental Hospital for treatment.
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Upon interrogation, Prabhakar admitted to multiple offenses, including house burglaries in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and other states. He confessed to being involved in 11 cases in Telangana and 12 cases in Andhra Pradesh. His method involved conducting reconnaissance of his targets, often top colleges, under the pretense of paying fees for a relative.
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Prabhakar used public transport like buses and autos to reach crime scenes while concealing his identity with a mask. He carried firearms and various tools such as an electrical iron cutter, screwdrivers, pliers, torches, gloves, and extension wires to break into properties. After committing the burglaries, he would hide at the crime scene for some time and leave early in the morning.
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The accused has a long criminal history. In September 2020, he was arrested by Palem police in Visakhapatnam in connection with 57 house burglary cases. However, in March 2022, he managed to escape from police custody while he was lodged in Visakhapatnam Central Jail.
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The Cyberabad police have now detained Prabhakar and are continuing their investigation. His arrest is expected to provide significant leads in several unsolved burglary cases in the region.
