Hyderabad: Jagadgirigutta Police arrested a 21‑year‑old man in a murder‑for‑gain case involving the killing of a woman and theft of gold and cash on November 12.
Victim targeted for living alone during daytime
Yeramala Niharika, aged 21, was found murdered in her home at Venkateshwara Nagar under Jagadgirigutta police limits. She was a native of Khammam district. The accused, Boggula Shiva Madhava Reddy, also 21, resides in S.R. Nagar and hails from the same district.
As per investigators, Reddy had fallen into significant debt due to online betting and alcohol addiction. Knowing Niharika personally, he planned to exploit her vulnerability—she remained alone at home after her husband left for work.
Murder staged to look like accident
On November 12, Reddy visited her home posing as a casual acquaintance. After confirming her husband had left and the neighbourhood was quiet, he strangled her in the bedroom. He then stole her gold mangalsutra, a pair of earrings, three rings, and ₹2,500 in cash.
In an attempt to mislead police, he moved the body to the bathroom. He locked the inner door from inside and exited through the second door, locking it from outside. To create the illusion of an accidental fall, he left the house at around 2:30 p.m.
Accused mortgaged stolen gold for cash
Subsequently, Reddy mortgaged the stolen ornaments at Manappuram Finance under a friend’s name. He secured ₹3,06,000 from the transaction. Acting swiftly, police recovered a blood-stained sweater, Royal Enfield Bullet bike, two mobile phones, the finance receipt, and a water glass used during the visit.
Crime solved through swift coordination and tech tracking
The case was solved through combined efforts of SOT and CCS Balanagar under DCP Crimes A. Muthyam Reddy and Addl. DCP K. Ram Kumar. ACP P. Naresh Reddy supervised field-level investigations. Inspectors B. Venkatesham, P. Narender Reddy, and Ravi Kumar led the technical surveillance and CCTV review that resulted in tracing and apprehending the accused.
Safety advisory for residents
Police urged citizens to remain vigilant. They advised against sharing personal routines with outsiders, especially regarding when family members leave home. Residents were also asked not to admit unknown or unverified visitors and to ensure that CCTV cameras are installed and functional at home entrances and surroundings.