Telangana school principal found dead with 27 stab injuries, 2 minors held

Two Class 10 students were detained in connection with the murder of a Nalgonda school principal, with police suspecting a planned robbery as the motive

Two minors enrolled in a school in Nalgonda district whose 48-year-old principal was found murdered on August 12 were detained in connection with the case on Wednesday, said police, adding that they were suspected to have committed the murder as part of a planned robbery.

Kallu Roopa Reddy, principal and director of Nagarjuna Grammar English Medium School in Kondamallepally, (HT Photo)

Addressing a press conference, district SP Sarath Chandra Pawar said since both accused would be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board.

Kallu Roopa Reddy, principal and director of Nagarjuna Grammar English Medium School in Kondamallepally, was found dead with at least 27 stab injuries on her body at her home at JB Colony of Kondamallepally mandal headquarters. Both her husband Kallu Rajender Reddy and son Abhinav Reddy were away in Hyderabad when the murder took place on the night of August 11, said police.

Two Class 10 students detained over principal’s murder

According to Pawar, the two Class 10 students allegedly planned the robbery nearly five days in advance, believing that Roopa Reddy would have a substantial amount of cash at home as school fee collections were underway. “Investigations revealed that one of the accused entered the house by jumping over the compound wall while wearing a mask. However, the mask reportedly came off, allowing Roopa Reddy to recognise him. Fearing that he would be identified, the student allegedly attacked her with a knife,” the SP said. The accused also took away her mobile phone before fleeing from the scene, along with cash from her bag.

As part of the investigation, the police examined the video footage obtained from around 70 CCTV cameras installed in and around the locality.

“The school remained closed for four days following the murder. After it reopened, police made inquiries about 13 students who were absent... Further probe revealed that two absentee students had suddenly been spending money lavishly for two or three days,” he said.

Bloodstained cash, victim’s phone recovered from student

The police took the two students into custody and questioned them and found ₹1.54 lakh in cash and the victim’s phone with one of them. “The student initially claimed that the money had been given to him by his parents. However, police noticed bloodstains on the currency notes. Samples were sent to a laboratory and were found to be human blood,” the SP said.

The probe revealed that the student who had stabbed the principal had previously been staying in the school hostel. “A few days ago, the principal found some cash and a mobile phone in his bag. She reprimanded him in the presence of his parents and subsequently shifted him from the hostel to day-scholar status,” the SP said.