Hyderabad: 22 December Posted on 9:30 PM IST
Rachakonda Police have cracked a sensational murder case and arrested a woman for killing her husband with the help of two associates after initially projecting the death as a heart attack.
The accused were identified as J. Poornima (36), wife of the deceased, and her associates Paleti Mahesh (22) and Bhukya Sai Kumar (22). The victim, V.J. Ashok (45), was a resident of Boduppal East Brundavan Colony.
According to Medipally pollice, On December 12, Poornima lodged a complaint stating her husband was found unconscious in the bathroom at their residence and was declared dead on arrival at Malkajgiri Government Hospital. As no immediate suspicion was raised, police initially registered a routine case.
However, during examination of the body, police noticed injuries on the cheek and neck along with broken teeth. This prompted a deeper probe. CCTV footage, technical evidence, and forensic inputs led investigators to suspect foul play.
During the investigation, police found Poornima had an extramarital relationship with Paleti Mahesh, who earlier lived in the same locality. Ashok had reportedly questioned her after learning about the relationship. Police said Poornima then decided to eliminate her husband and sought the help of Sai Kumar.
According to investigators, the accused planned the murder in advance. On December 11 at around 6.15 pm, Ashok returned home after work. Mahesh and Sai Kumar restrained him while Poornima held his legs. Mahesh used scarves to strangle Ashok, causing his death.
After the murder, the accused changed the victim’s clothes, removed bloodstained items, and attempted to destroy evidence. They misled relatives by claiming Ashok died of a heart attack.
Police seized three bloodstained scarves, bloodstained clothes, a pen drive containing photos and videos related to the crime, an iPhone 15, and a motorcycle from the accused. The case was altered from Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita to Sections 103(1), 238 read with 3(5) BNS.
All three accused were produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody. Police said the case has been strengthened with scientific and forensic evidence and further legal proceedings are underway.
Mohammed Naseer Giyas is a multi-media and bilingual journalist with over 20 years of experience across print, digital, and television media. Founder of Raftaar-e-Deccan, he is an alumnus of IVLP, Thomson Reuters Foundation, and ICFJ, and has worked with leading English and Urdu news organisations.
