More than two months after sexagenarian housewife Nagamani’s murder for gain, Meerpet police finally cracked the mystery by arresting a woman labourer on Tuesday.
The victim’s gold mangalasutra, gold ring and silver anklets were recovered from the arrested Yadamma, 30. Hunt is on for her associate Balasubrahmanyam, 28, an auto-rickshaw driver, who hatched the murder plot and executed it. Yadamma was living with the absconding accused, having deserted her husband.
The brutal killing was reported on the evening of March 18 when Nagamani was found murdered with bleeding wounds on head and strangulation marks on neck. Her husband, a retired person, was asleep in a room on the first floor when the killers entered the house, murdered her and took away the jewellery she wore.
Puzzled
Her granddaughter, who returned home from school, was the first to see the body. Investigators were puzzled as there was no clue even after grilling all persons having access to the house. Several suspects were detained and questioned but the Meerpet police couldn’t stumble upon any lead.
Vague lead
One vague lead came from a courier agency employee and a water can supplier. Both told the police that they saw a man and a woman going inside Nagamani’s house that day. But they were not sure who the couple was. They couldn’t recall any features of the suspects for identification purpose.
But the investigators stuck to the tried and tested method of verifying antecedents and location of persons –like drivers, maids- who earlier worked in the house.
In that process, they got to know that Balasubrahmanyam used to ferry the victim’s granddaughter to and from school. But he stopped in January and another three-wheeler driver was engaged to pick up and drop the girl.
While verifying call data record of the driver, they grew suspicious about the frequent calls made by him to Yadamma.
They picked up and grilled the woman who spilled the beans.
Auto-rickshaw driver and his accomplice Yadamma charged with the murder
