Hyderabad: While probing the case of an unidentified woman’s burnt body, Siddipet police arrested a woman and her juvenile son for their alleged involvement. During interrogation, police found that the accused were allegedly involved in two more offences: a murder for gain and a robbery.Addressing the media, Siddipet police commissioner S Rashmi Perumal said that on Aug 8, locals of Ramakkapeta village found a burnt body and alerted the police. Based on missing-person details, the victim was identified as Athikam Vijaya, a resident of Bhoompally village. Though the body was burnt, the face was partially visible. The investigation led to the arrest of Vijaya’s neighbour, Chakali Rajitha (38), and her minor son.“After verifying the CCTV footage, we found that the accused had shifted the body in a bag to the scene of crime. They were initially supposed to take the body to a nearby forest, which was two kilometres away. However, as it was raining, they decided to dispose of it on the footpath. Vijaya’s body was then set ablaze using petrol,” the CP said.“Driven by a desire for easy money, the accused hatched a plan to target Vijaya, who lived alone near their home. On the evening of Aug 8, they called her into their grocery shop, strangled her to death, and shifted the body on a moped to the outskirts of Ramakkapeta, where they poured petrol on it and set it ablaze,’’ Rashmi said.After strangling Vijaya, the accused allegedly kept the body in their house for sometime. They took her ornaments to a pawn broker and raise money by pledging them. They then bought 10 litres of petrol and subsequently shifted the and burnt the body.During questioning, police learned that the duo was also allegedly behind another missing woman case registered in May. K Renuka, who also lived in the same colony, had gone missing. The accused allegedly lured her and killed her before burning her body in the Achamayyapalli forest.In June 2025, the accused allegedly attacked a morning walker, Annapurna from Bhoompally village, during a robbery attempt. Annapurna has been in coma since the incident. Police seized 5.6 tolas of gold ornaments and 53 tolas of silver ornaments from the accused. “By identifying individuals involved in property disputes or other conflicts, they targeted women who were alone—not only robbing them, but also taking their lives. While it was confirmed that they had already committed two murders, the investigation revealed that they had planned four more targets,’’ the CP said.In the past, when the accused were questioned as suspects along with a few other residents in the colony in connection with Rekha’s missing case, they managed to evade suspicion by telling investigators that she was active on social media and suggesting that this could have led to her disappearance.
