Three women held for killing, robbing 4: Cops

Three women have been arrested in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh for allegedly killing four people by giving them cyanide-laced drinks in past two years and then robbing them of valuables

Three women have been arrested in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh for allegedly killing four people by giving them cyanide-laced drinks in past two years and then robbing them of gold and other valuables, an officer said.

The mother and daughter committed the murders by lacing the drinks of their victims with cyanide. They would then rob valuables and cash from the deceased (File photo)

Guntur superintendent of police S Satish Kumar said the arrested were identified as Madiyala Venkateshwari alias Bujji (32), her mother Gonthu Ramanamma (60) and Munugappa Rajani (40), all from Yadla Lingaiah Colony of Tenali town in the district. They were arrested on Friday. Rajani was the neighbour of the other two accused.

“We have booked a case under Section 302 (murder), 379 (theft), 201 (hiding or destruction of evidence) and 120b (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code,” the SP said, adding that the arrested were produced before the local court on Friday, which sent them to judicial remand for 14 days.

Disclosing the details of the case, Kumar said: “On June 5, the police received information about a decaying body of a 35-year-old unidentified woman lying near a quarry on the outskirts of Vadlamudi village of Chebrolu block. A case of suspicious death was registered by Chebrolu police.”

During the investigation, the deceased was identified as Shaik Nagoorbi of Yadlalingaiah Colony in Tenali town. Her son, Shaik Tameez, informed the police that his mother had spoken to one Rajani and Bujji, before leaving the house and suspected that they might have killed her, the SP said.

“Using advanced technology, the police traced an auto driver Mahesh, who was hired by the accused on the day of the incident. On questioning, he admitted that he was hired by Rajani at Somasundarapalem at Tenali town, and after some time, two more women joined her. They asked him to take them to Vadlamudi,” Kumar said, adding that Nagoorbi was with the accused in the auto.

“On their way, they bought a bottle of Breezer. After reaching Vadlamudi, Rajani paid him ₹500 and sent the driver away,” he said.

On examining the call data records and other evidence available at the spot, the police took Rajani and Bujji into custody and interrogated them. “The two admitted that they had offered Breezer laced with cyanide to Nagoorbi, who died on the spot. Later, the duo decamped with her gold ornaments and money and left the place,” Satish Kumar said, adding the police had recovered a small quantity of cyanide and gold ornaments from the accused.

During the interrogation, it was revealed that Bujji, along with her mother Ramanamma, had killed three others in a similar fashion – by offering them drinks mixed with cyanide; and tried to kill two other women in the same manner, but they managed to escape, the superintendent of police said.

In 2022, Bujji, in collusion with Ramanamma, killed her own mother-in-law Subbalakshmi (55) by offering her wine laced with cyanide at the latter’s residence at Markapuram of Prakasam district.

“The daughter-mother stole money, gold and properties of the deceased,” the SP said.

In August 2023, Bujji and her mother killed a 65-year-old woman Nagamma, their neighbour in Tenali town, by offering her soft drink mixed with cyanide. Nagamma had apparently given a loan of ₹20,000 to Bujji in the past and was pestering her to return the amount.

“In order to evade repayment, Bujji killed Nagamma and robbed her of money and gold,” he said.

In April this year, Ramanamma killed a man named Moshen in a similar manner in Tenali town by making him drink wine laced with cyanide. This time, she was assisted by the man’s wife Bhudevi, who wanted to get rid of her husband addicted to alcohol.

“Bhudevi also wanted to get the life insurance amount and also pension. So, she took the help of Ramanamma,” the SP said.

Satish Kumar said Bujji and Ramanamma had made similar attempts to kill three other people in the last two years by mixing cyanide with food, liquor and tea with an intention to steal money, gold ornaments and cash.

“However, they could not succeed in their attempts for various reasons,” the SP added.

He said the police are on the look out for people from whom the accused had acquired cyanide, adding the investigation was on.