HYDERABAD: The otherwise serene locality of Sai Nagar colony in Balapur, on Friday, woke up to something they could never even imagine. A man, they knew, had woken up from sleep in the wee hours and brutally slit the throats of his mother, wife and daughter inside his house.
Scores of relatives and neighbours gathered outside the residence. The white marble flooring at the Reddys’ imposing residence was stained with blood all over.
Most of them knew the 38-year-old S Ram Reddy as a calm and quiet person who could never have committed a cold blooded act.
Among the visitors, sat Ram Reddy’s father Balwanth Reddy, who saw his son leaving home in blood-stained clothes after committing three murders. “My whole family has been eliminated. I am unable to think why did he do it,” Balwanth Reddy said breaking into tears.
Has been behaving strangely: According to dear and near ones, Ram Reddy has been behaving strangely of late. They revealed that he had attempted suicide twice earlier in the last two years. “He has been married for 16 years and always lived in a joint family. He was always calm and queit, and never fought with anyone. In fact, he was reclusive and kept to himself,” said a family friend.
Apparently, it was about eight months ago that a separate portion was constructed on the ground floor for Ram Reddy to stay separately and yet be part of the joint family. “Despite this, he was not satisfied. So, his father had promised to build an additional second storey to the house for his wife and children. The work was in progress but has been stalled for a while now,” he recalled. According to relatives, Reddy had been behaving strangely since he attempted suicide for the second time during Dasara last year. “He had taken a hotel room in Dilsukhnagar and consumed poison but could not succeed. Everyone thought he would not survive. He was hospitalised for over a week then,” said a cousin Krishna Reddy. Ever since, he has been behaving strangely, he added.
Police not ready to buy ‘property issue’ as motive: DCP Shamshabad AR Srinivas said that the claims of property issues leading to murder cannot be accepted. “There should be something more to it. He said he has not been treated properly by the family. That his mother sold the property and gave the money to his sister. All these cannot be a reason to kill wife and daughter,” he said. Police will send the accused to medical examination and produce before the court on Saturday. The DCP pointed out that Ram Reddy sounded incoherent and unstable.
A kitchen knife was recovered from the house. “He claims that he wanted to commit suicide after killing the three but could not explain any particular reason,” added the DCP.