The Andhra Pradesh police have nabbed three women from Tenali for allegedly befriending individuals for money and murdering them by offering cyanide-laced drinks. The women have murdered four so far following similar modus operandi.
According to police, Munagappa Rajani (40), Madiyala Venkateshwari (32) and Gulra Ramanamma (60), all hailing from Tenali, were arrested on Thursday in connection with the murder of an elderly woman named Nagoor Bi in June this year. On further probe, police found the trio were involved in other murders as well.
Satish Kumar, Tenali Superintendent of Police said the trio would befriend people for short loans and would eliminate them later to evade repayment. The accused would rob the personal belongings of the deceased, police said.
Nagoor Bi, an elderly woman from Yadla Lingaiah Colony in Tenali was reported missing on June 5 this year and her body was recovered in a decomposed condition on the outskirts of Vadlamudi village. On probe, police found that Nagoor Bi met Rajani and Venkateswari before leaving for work that day.
Police said Venkateshwari and Ramanamma had earlier murdered three persons and were planning to kill two others in a similar manner. Satish Kumar said Venkateshwari had worked as a ward volunteer earlier and was in Cambodia for a short while. Venkateshwari was allegedly involved in cybercrimes there and returned to India after two months owing to health issues, Kumar said.
Police have seized cyanide from the accused and other evidence from their possession, NDTV reported. Police have also arrested a man for allegedly supplying them with cyanide.
