The city police today arrested five persons in connection with the murder of the history-sheeter Botta Narasimha Murthy.
The accused were identified as Sigadam Santhosh Kumar (26), Medisetty Varaprasad (23), K Kanakaraju (26), B Ravikumar (24) and B Arjun (19).
DCP Dr C M Thrivikarama Varma said Murthy, against whom two cases of murder had been registered, used to extort money from hawkers selling eatables on the RK Beach Road.
Therefore the accused, some of whom he had harassed, decided to kill him. On the evening of March 14 they invited Murthy for a booze session and after he got drunk, hit him with iron rods on the head, killing him.
Further probe is on.
