A security guard was found murdered at the residence of top Telugu film actor Balakrishna Wednesday, and police suspect it to be the handiwork of two suspected thieves.

Loknath Sahu, 30, a native of Orissa, was found killed in the house of the controversial actor in the posh Jubliee Hills neighborhood.

The actor, who is the son of late chief minister and film actor N.T. Rama Rao, and his wife Vasundhara were present in the house when the guard was believed to have been murdered by thieves.

At the same house in June, Balakrishna had opened fire on two film producers, according to a police complaint.

But like in the firing incident of June 3, mystery shrouds the Wednesday murder and its actual timing.

While Vasundhara reportedly saw a thief around 1 a.m., Jubliee Hills police said they received a complaint about the murder only at 4.30 a.m.

A police team on patrol said they spoke to the guard at 1.20 a.m. and had also taken his signature in a book as part of their routine duty.

Police Commissioner R.P. Singh said Sahu was attacked with a tabletop granite stone resulting in his instant death. He believes that the guard was killed when he tried to resist intruders.

"We believe at least two thieves entered the house for theft and they murdered the guard," he said, pointing out that Rs.50,000 were missing from the bedroom of the actor.

Balakrishna left the house without speaking to journalists.

Balakrishna's brother-in-law and former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who reside in the same area, also visited the house.

The incident in the high security area sent shockwaves.

Balakrishna had opened fire injuring film producer Bellakonda Suresh and his assistant Satyanarayana Chowdary at his residence on the night of June 3 over a dispute relating to a film. The actor had also got himself admitted to hospital.

He was charged with attempt to murder. A court last month granted him conditional bail. His wife Vasundhara was charged with wiping out evidence then.