It had taken 45 minutes for the assailants, who barged into D K Rao-aide T P Raja's house on December 7 and murdered him in cold blood, to overpower him. It was not an easy job for them, as they first had to attack him with a knife and then fire a round at him.

Even after being badly injured, Raja moved to the window and tried calling for help, but eventually passed out. One of the accused even injured his hand in the scuffle and had to run out with blood oozing from it.