Student involved in murder and robbery

Hyderabad: A degree student was among seven arrested for involvement in the robbery at LB Nagar a month back, in which an elderly woman was killed. The gang was involved in several cases of robberies, snatching and thefts in Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Medak limits and even planned to kidnap the rich for ransom. The accused are involved in the murder of H Suvarna Chudamani at Sai Nagar Colony in Nagole on February 26.

Police said the gang was formed by M Janardhan, a labour contractor from Neredhcerla village in Nalgonda district. Other members, M Praveen alias Jithender alias Jittu, C Nagaraju alias Gemini, a junior artist, K Bhasker Reddy, a casual worker at Dr Reddy's Laboratories at Bollarum, P Saidulu alias Sai and P Lachaiah alias Laxman hail from Neredcherla mandal and other places in Nalgonda district, police said. The other arrested 21-year-old U Srujana Babu, is studying in second-year BSc (biotechnology) from DVM College at LB Nagar and residing in the house of the victim.

Cyberabad police commissioner Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao said the accused were in dire financial condition and planned to commit offences. In February second week, Laxman visited his childhood friend Srujan Babu's house and the duo planned to rob the latter's house owners. Laxman informed the matter to Janardhan and he along with other gang members visited Srujan Babu's house to plan the robbery.

On February 26, Srujan Babu sent an SMS- 'Evaruleru come on attack' ('No one is there in the house. Come on attack') to Janardhan. The gang members then barged inside the house after Chudamani opened the door and initially tied her. But as she started raising an alarm, they strangled her. Chudamani's husband, Muralidhar came out hearing her screams and he too was attacked. Even as the assailants were robbing, the couple's son reached the house making the burglars flee.

Sources said one accused was caught soon after the incident and subsequently all seven members were arrested. 15 tola gold ornaments robbed from Chudamani's house were recovered. Police also recovered a 9 mm pistol with 20 live rounds, a car and two-wheeler worth nearly `10 lakh.

Except for Srujan Babu, other gang members were involved in seven chain snatching in Cyberabad and Medak and robbery and automobile thefts in Hyderabad and Cyberabad. Three others, B Dharmendra, A Janardhan Reddy and K Yadagiri, were involved in an Arms Act case in LB Nagar, police said.