I shot in self-defence: Balakrishna

Telugu actor and son of former chief minister N T Rama Rao, Nandamuri Balakrishna has claimed that he fired at film producers Bellamkonda Suresh and Satyanarayana Chowdhary in self-defence.

Balakrishna gave his version after his arrest early on Sunday from a hospital in Hyderabad, City Police Commissioner R P Singh said.

He was taken into custody at about 0330 IST and whisked away through the rear door.

He was produced before the fifth Metropolitan Magistrate, who ordered the police to produce him again on Monday. The actor was later readmitted to the hospital.

"Balakrishna claimed that he was attacked with a knife by Bellamkonda Suresh. Thereafter, he picked up a revolver and fired one shot in self-defence. He claimed that he did not remember what happened afterwards," the commissioner said.

The police was in the process of recording and verifying the statements of the victims as well as the accused, he added.

The commissioner said that in all Balakrishna fired six rounds. Two bullets hit the producers, two hit a wall and the remaining hit a sofa.

The shots were fired from a .32 calibre revolver licensed to the actor's wife, Vasundhara.

The police seized this revolver and another unloaded weapon licensed to the actor from the scene of the offence.

All the six chambers of the revolver used in the shooting were found empty. Six empty cartridges were also found on the spot.

The police also found rags used by the actor's servants to wipe the blood.

A bucket containing blood-tinged water was also seized.

A forensic team also found some fingerprints on the weapon.