Hyderabad: Bathula Prabhakar, the serial burglar who opened fire at a head constable outside Prism pub on Saturday night before being nabbed led a life of luxury and opulence.
Prabhakar operated across states including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala and had a penchant for luxury cars and visits to high-end pubs. It was in one such pub at Gachibowli in Hyderabad that he opened fire at a head constable before his luck ran out and he finally ended up behind bars.
A Life of Crime and Extravagance
Authorities discovered that in 11 of his thefts, Prabhakar stole Rs 2.5 crore which he spent on luxury cars and visits to high-end pubs. After the shooting incident on Saturday, Gachibowli police arrested him and sent him to judicial remand on Sunday. The police also seized three country-made guns and 451 bullets from him. Madhapur DCP Dr Vineet said Prabhakar (30), hails from Irikipenta village in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and had moved to Palakoderu in West Godavari district along with his family. He dropped out of school after the death of his parents and committed his first theft in 2013 at the age of 19. Arrested in 2020 by Visakhapatnam police with 60 cases pending against him, Prabhakar was released from prison after being harassed by a fellow inmate. In March 2022, he escaped from Visakhapatnam jail and evaded capture for nearly two years.
Plotting Revenge with Illegal Weapons
After escaping from Andhra Pradesh, Prabhakar relocated Gachibowli and was staying in a friend's room. He evaded detection by keeping off social media and financial transactions. He acquired three guns and bullets from Bihar eight months back with the intent of killing the inmate who had tormented him in jail. Recently, he shifted his focus from homes to engineering colleges, committing three robberies under Moinabad and Narsingi police stations. Police identified his fingerprints at the crime scenes, leading them to track his whereabouts.
The Shootout at Prism Pub
Surveillance footage revealed Prabhakar's presence near Prism Pub on Saturday evening. When Head Constable Venkat Reddy attempted to arrest him, Prabhakar opened fire. The police, however, swiftly subdued him and arrested him. Vineet lauded Reddy, along with Constables Pradeep Reddy and Veeraswamy, for their courage and swift action in bringing the criminal to justice. Prabhakar is currently in judicial custody, and further investigation is on to unravel his criminal activities and networks.
