Hyderabad: A festering grudge over a lost job led a former driver to murder an elderly couple in Budwel’s Jana Chaitanya Colony, Rajendranagar police revealed on Tuesday, cracking the mystery that had rattled the neighbourhood.
Mohammad Shakeel Salman, a former driver, and his friend Mohammad Mujeebuddin were arrested for the murders of Sheikh Abdullah, 70, a retired State Bank of India general manager, and his wife Rizwana, 65, a former lecturer. Their brutal killings inside their flat last Thursday sent shockwaves across the otherwise quiet colony.
Investigators said Salman once worked for the couple but was dismissed eight months ago due to repeated complaints about his behaviour. Unemployed and seething with resentment, Salman blamed them for his misfortunes and hatched a plan for revenge.
According to Rajendranagar DCP Chintamneni Srinivas, Salman convinced Mujeebuddin to lend him ₹40,000 to execute his plan. The two first visited Red Hills on June 4, unaware that the couple had moved to Budwel. They then headed to Jana Chaitanya Colony, carefully mapping out how to reach the couple’s flat.
On the evening of June 5, around 5 PM, they donned burqas and face masks to avoid suspicion. At the building’s entrance, they told the watchman, Rajesh, that Ali had called them over from the farm. Abdullah confirmed this over the intercom, and they were let inside.
Once in the flat, Salman drew a knife and stabbed Abdullah repeatedly, according to police. Mujeebuddin, startled by the bloodshed, panicked and fled. Rizwana, witnessing the horror, tried to intervene but was also killed.
Police said Salman stayed briefly at the scene, stealing ₹600 from Abdullah’s pocket before escaping.
The Rajendranagar police wasted no time in diving into the investigation, mapping out the suspects’ steps and rounding up both men. Senior officers—ACP Tula Srinivas, Inspectors Castro and Prashanth—worked closely with the CCS and SOT teams to bring the accused in.
Salman and Mujeebuddin now face charges for the double homicide and are currently in custody.