HYDERABAD: Police in the Nalgonda district of Telangana, India, have successfully solved the chilling murder case of a 48-year-old school principal.
According to Indian media reports, law enforcement authorities have apprehended two 10th-grade students allegedly involved in planning and executing the crime.
The victim, school principal Kalu Rupa Reddy, was found dead in her home on the morning of August 12, bearing 27 stab wounds, while her husband was away in Hyderabad.
The case came to light when her husband, unable to reach her by phone, alerted neighbors who subsequently contacted the police.
Investigation Breakthrough and Motive Following the incident, police formed five special teams to analyze CCTV footage, forensic evidence, fingerprints, technical data, and suspect movements, questioning over 80 individuals.
The breakthrough came when investigators discovered that before her phone went dead, Reddy had uttered a single word, “Babu,” to her aunt during a telephonic conversation.
Senior police officer Sharat Chandra Pawar stated that tracking down who she was referring to redirected the investigation toward school students. Individual interrogations revealed that five 10th-grade students were absent after the murder, with two displaying unusual spending habits and funding parties for friends.
Upon detention, both students confessed to plotting the crime. The principal had previously scolded them, confiscated cash and mobile phones from their hostel bags, and transferred them to day-scholar status, triggering deep resentment.
The duo spent roughly five days planning the robbery and murder, procuring a knife and gloves. On the day of the crime, one student entered the house wearing a monkey cap and gloves, securing approximately 250,000 Indian rupees from the bedroom.
As he attempted to flee, his cap slipped, and Reddy recognized him. Fearing exposure, the student inflicted 27 stab wounds, killing her instantly.
Recovery and Quick-Cash Motive Authorities recovered 154,000 Indian rupees (including blood-stained currency notes), an iPhone, the victim’s mobile phone, and the gloves used during the attack.
The suspects had attempted to destroy evidence, hide bloody clothes, and even take a leisure trip to Goa.
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Investigators revealed that the students had searched video-sharing platforms for quick-money-making methods prior to the attack, transforming a planned robbery into a tragic murder upon being identified. Legal proceedings against the accused are actively ongoing.
