Veteran Telugu actor Krishna passes away, industry mourns
Hyderabad (PTI): Veteran Telugu actor Krishna died on Tuesday at a city-based private super-specialty hospital where he was undergoing treatment following a cardiac arrest.
He was 80.
Krishna, father of superstar Mahesh Babu, was admitted to the hospital in the early hours of Monday and was put on ventilator.
He was being treated by a multi-disciplinary team of doctors following the cardiac arrest. The actor died at 4 AM on Tuesday, hospital sources said.
Over the last 24 hours, Krishna continued to remain in an extremely critical state, following his admission to the emergency ward due to a cardiac arrest and upon resuscitation he was shifted to ICU, the hospital said in a statement
"He remained critically ill with multi-organ failure and severe hypoxic brain injury It was decided late evening with family members and all the consultants not to pursue further supportive care given to his dismal prognosis and to keep him final moments painless and peaceful. He expired in early hours of the morning at 4.09 AM," the statement said.
Ghattamaneni Sivarama Krishna, popularly known as Krishna, began his career in the early 1960s and acted in about 350 films.
Krishna is known in the Telugu film industry for his good-nature and courageous attitude. He earned fame with his cowboy roles and by introducing advanced technologies in film-making.
Krishna was a Lok Sabha member from Eluru Parliamentary constituency, winning the elections in 1989. His son-in-law Jayadev Galla is presently a TDP Lok Sabha member representing the Guntur constituency.
Chief Ministers of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, K Chandrasekhar Rao, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and MK Stalin respectively condoled his death.
Chandrasekhar Rao, in a statement recalled Krishna's five decades of contribution to the Telugu film industry as an actor, producer and director.
"Krishna, who acted in over 350 movies, left an indelible mark on the hearts of moviegoers and his death is a huge loss for the Telugu film industry," Rao said.
"Krishna garu is a Telugu superstar. He is Alluri...He is our James Bond. As a man of heart in real life as well, who earned distinction for himself in the film industry, his death is a great loss for Telugu film industry and Telugu people," Jagan Mohan Reddy tweeted.
Condoling, the death, Stalin said his demise is an irreparable loss to Indian cinema.
In a statement, he said Krishna was known for including many innovative aspects in cinema. He expressed his condolences to his son Mahesh Babu and the bereaved family.
Actor and former union minister Chiranjeevi in a statement posted in his Twitter page said he could not believe that Krishna is no more and offered condolences to his family members.
"Krishna garu is synonym for adventure. Apart from many experimental films and distinctive characters, your credit for introducing many techniques to Telugu cinema will always be remembered," Jr NTR tweeted.
Several film personalities have recalled their association with the departing soul.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Woman shot dead in Delhi; police suspect link to 2023 murder of her husband
New Delhi (PTI): A 44-year-old woman was shot dead at point-blank range in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday, with police suspecting the killing to be a fallout of the 2023 murder of her husband, an official said.
The deceased was identified as Rachna Yadav, a resident of Shalimar Bagh and the resident welfare association (RWA) president of her locality. According to police, she was shot in the head and died on the spot.
Police said Rachna was originally from Bhalswa village in north-west Delhi. Investigators suspect that the murder is linked to the killing of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, who was shot dead in 2023. The case concerning that murder is currently under trial.
"In the 2023 case, Vijendra Yadav was allegedly murdered due to previous enmity. Bharat Yadav and five others were named as accused. While five of the accused were arrested and are facing trial, the main accused, Bharat Yadav, is still absconding and has been declared a proclaimed offender," a senior police officer said.
Police said Rachna was the main witness in her husband's murder case, and her testimony was considered vital for the prosecution. Investigators believe her killing may have been aimed at weakening the case and intimidating other witnesses.
CCTV footage has surfaced in the Rachna Yadav murder case, clearly capturing the accused who allegedly shot her. Police said the assailant's accomplice was already waiting nearby on a sports bike bearing a Delhi registration number, facilitating a swift escape, according to an official.
Police said a PCR call was received at around 10.59 am at Shalimar Bagh police station, reporting that a woman had been shot.
Local police teams rushed to the spot and found Rachna lying on the road in a pool of blood. An empty cartridge was recovered from the scene, officials said.
According to the investigation, when Rachna was returning after meeting a neighbour, two assailants intercepted her. One of them allegedly stopped her and asked her name. When she identified herself, the attacker pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head before fleeing the spot along with his accomplice, police said.
Preliminary inquiry suggested that the woman was targeted, and the assailants appeared to have prior knowledge about her identity and movements.
"Crime Team and FSL teams were immediately called, and the scene of the crime was thoroughly examined. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being scanned to identify the assailants," Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said.
Prima facie, it appears that the present case is linked to the earlier murder, he said. "We are re-examining all aspects of the 2023 case and the role of the proclaimed offender (Bharat)," Singh said, adding that multiple teams have been formed to trace the shooters and those who may have masterminded the crime.
Speaking to reporters, Kanika Yadav, the deceased's elder daughter, alleged that the murder was planned by Bharat.
"Some of the accused in my father's murder case are lodged in Tihar Jail. Despite that, they are planning such crimes. Bharat Yadav planned and executed my mother's murder," she alleged.
Kanika claimed her mother was killed because she was standing firm as a witness in her father's murder case.
"They were afraid that they would be convicted on the basis of her statement. That is why my mother was killed. My father was murdered in 2023, and the case is still pending before the court," she said.
Police said Rachna is survived by two daughters, one of whom is married, while the younger daughter lived with her. Security has been stepped up in the area, and further investigation is underway, police added.
