Rifle Shooting Coach Held Over ‘Forced Conversion’ Claim After Rural Engineer, Family Jump Into River

Last Updated:August 25, 2026, 12:41 IST

On the intervening night of August 16 and 17, Thillapudi Nookaraju, his wife Meena, daughter Sowjanya, and grandson reportedly jumped into the river

A rifle shooting coach has been arrested in connection with the deaths of a rural engineer and his family | Image credit: X/@AngrySaffron

A rifle shooting coach has been arrested in connection with the deaths of a rural engineer and his family, including his wife and daughter, who allegedly jumped into the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh this month.

On the intervening night of August 16 and 17, Thillapudi Nookaraju –– a Panchayat Raj assistant engineer –– his wife Meena, daughter Sowjanya, and grandson reportedly jumped into the river. While the 10-year-old grandson was rescued by local fishermen, the engineer and the two women died, NDTV reported.

During the course of investigation, a note allegedly written by Nookaraju was recovered by the police, linking rifle shooting coach, Sheikh Sadhik Khan, to the alleged suicide. Subsequently, a case was filed against him on multiple charges including pressuring Nookaraju to convert to another religion, murder and extortion.

The police then launched a massive manhunt for Khan, eventually leading to his arrest in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut. “It was a very grueling chase across five states,” Kakinada District SP Bindu Madhav said.

According to SP Madhav, over 10 teams of police were engaged in tracing the accused’s movements despite his avoiding mobile phone use and digital transactions to evade arrest.

Khan was then brought to Andhra Pradesh on a transit warrant, NDTV reported, citing officials.

Probe To Examine Link Between Khan, Nookaraju

According to the police, Khan knew Nookaraju and his family for nearly two years. He had worked as a rifle-shooting coach at a school attended by the deceased’s grandson.

However, the accused’s link with the family remain under scanner.

At present, Khan is under police custody as investigators continue their probe to identify the circumstances leading to the deaths and examine whether others were involved in it.

Suicide Prevention. News 18. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)

Key Questions Answered

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What evidence links the coach to the family’s deaths?

A note allegedly written by Thillapudi Nookaraju, the deceased engineer, was recovered by police, linking rifle shooting coach Sheikh Sadhik Khan to the alleged suicide. The note led to a case being filed against Khan on multiple charges, including pressuring Nookaraju to convert to another religion, murder, and extortion.

Could more people be involved in this alleged crime?

Investigators are continuing their probe to determine if others were involved in the alleged crime.

What are the next steps in the police investigation?

Investigators are continuing their probe to identify the circumstances leading to the deaths and to examine whether others were involved.

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Meemansa ShekhawatSub-editor

A Journalism graduate, Meemansa Shekhawat is a sub-editor at News18. Driven by a keen interest in news, she is a passionate writer with specialisation in national and international affairs. You can re…Read More

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