Hyderabad: A constable and his wife have been arrested for allegedly murdering a realtor and dumping his body in the Mallanna Sagar canal, Siddipet police said on Thursday.
Details of the Accused and Victim
The accused have been identified as G Praveen Kumar, 42, a constable at the Central Crime Station in Siddipet police commissionerate, and his wife, G Rajitha, 35. The deceased was B Vishwanath, 57, a realtor from Siddipet.
Sequence of Events
On the night of May 2, Vishwanath's wife, Vanitha, approached the Chinnakodur police of Siddipet, stating that her husband had gone missing. A case was registered accordingly. The following day, Vishwanath's body was discovered in the Mallanna Sagar Canal at the Ranaganaya Sagar reservoir. Vanitha was called to the spot and identified the body as that of her husband.
During the subsequent investigation, police examined CCTV footage from various locations and identified Praveen and his wife as the suspects. The accused were taken into custody, and during interrogation, they confessed to committing the murder.
Motive Behind the Crime
Police revealed that Praveen had developed an addiction to online betting and suffered losses exceeding Rs 30 lakh. Due to financial distress, he borrowed Rs 12 lakh from Vishwanath by mortgaging land documents. As Vishwanath pressured Praveen to repay the amount, the couple hatched a plan to kill him and steal his gold jewellery, according to an official statement from Siddipet police.
Execution of the Murder
As per the plan, on May 2, the couple lured Vishwanath to the Ellamma temple in Siddipet under the pretext of discussing the repayment of the borrowed amount. They then took him to a deserted location at Pedda Kodur, where they tied his hands and strangled him with a wire. The couple stole his gold chain and five rings, and dumped his body in the nearby canal. The stolen gold was sold at a jewellery shop in Siddiamber Bazar in Hyderabad for Rs 12 lakh.
Additional Theft Case
Police also connected the couple to another theft case registered at the Siddipet I Town police station. The accused were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.
This incident highlights the severe consequences of gambling addiction and financial desperation, leading to heinous crimes. The police investigation continues to uncover further details.
