In a major breakthrough, the Nizamabad police have arrested Sheikh Riaz, the prime accused in the murder of police constable E. Pramod, putting an end to the intense manhunt that had gripped the city for the past two days. Contrary to the rumours circulating online, Police Commissioner P. Sai Chaitanya clarified on Sunday that the 24-year-old was apprehended alive, and reports of an encounter were completely baseless.
According to police sources, Riaz had been hiding inside an abandoned lorry when officers tracking his movements finally closed in on his location. As the police team approached, Riaz spotted them and tried to flee from the spot. During the chase, the officers were seen by a local resident, Asif, who immediately came forward to help. The police shouted to Asif to intercept Riaz, and without regard for his own safety, Asif bravely caught hold of the fleeing suspect.
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At that moment, Riaz still carried the same knife he had used to stab constable Pramod to death. In a desperate attempt to escape, he attacked Asif with the weapon, inflicting a deep wound on his hand. Despite the injury, Asif held onto Riaz until the police arrived and took him into custody. Both men were then rushed to a government hospital, where doctors confirmed that Asif’s condition was stable and he was recovering well.
Earlier, Riaz had allegedly killed CCS constable Pramod in Vinayak Nagar on Friday night around 8:30 p.m., stabbing him while the constable was escorting him to the station on a two-wheeler. Following the attack, Riaz fled, leading to widespread outrage among the police and the public. The Director General of Police, B. Shivdhar Reddy, had directed the Nizamabad Police Commissioner to form special teams to capture the suspect at the earliest.
Meanwhile, social media, which a day earlier had witnessed divisive comments attempting to blame an entire community for Pramod’s murder, was now filled with messages praising Asif’s courage. Many users highlighted that Asif’s brave act proved not all individuals from any community can be judged by one person’s crime. Several posts called for Asif to be rewarded with the ₹50,000 cash prize that had been announced for information leading to Riaz’s capture, while others suggested that he should be offered a government job in recognition of his heroism.
Riaz, a resident of Hashmi Colony, was already wanted in multiple cases including dacoity, robbery, and murder. With his arrest, the police are expected to intensify their investigation and file additional charges, while the story of Asif’s selfless bravery continues to inspire praise across Telangana.