KHAMMAM: A man and his mother were arrested on Wednesday for killing his live-in partner and burying her body in a cotton field at Machinenipet tanda in Julurpahad mandal, Bhadradri Kothagudem district. According to Julurpahad police, the incident took place on November 9 but came to light after locals alerted the authorities.
According to Kothagudem DSP Abdul Rahman, the accused, Banothu Bhadram (37), was involved with T Swathi (29), whom he met while working at a school in Kothagudem. Bhadram, a physical education teacher, and Swathi, a cook, were reportedly in a relationship and began living together even though the 37-year-old is married to one Nandini. While he lived with Swathi in Kothagudem, Nandini stayed in Machinenipet, his native village, with her mother-in-law Saroja, the other accused.
Later, Swathi secured a job at a shopping complex in Kothagudem while Bhadram began driving an auto-rickshaw. During this time, Swathi allegedly became involved with another man, Ratnakumar, a co-worker at the mall, from whom she took Rs 13 lakh by promising him a job at Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) in place of her deceased father.
Attack on accused’s wife
Swathi is also said to have incited Ratnakumar to kill Bhadram’s wife, Nandini, whom she saw as an obstacle to their relationship. Acting on her instigation, Ratnakumar reportedly attacked Nandini as she was walking home in Machinenipet tanda, but she managed to escape with injuries.
During the probe into the attack on Nandini, police identified Ratnakumar as a suspect and summoned him for questioning. Out of fear, Ratnakumar and his wife Parvathi killed themselves. Subsequently, a case was registered at Chunchupalli police station. Swathi’s name emerged on the suspect list, and both Swathi and Bhadram were called to the police station, where they were instructed to pay Rs 8 lakh in compensation to Ratnakumar’s family.
Dispute between accused and victim
Following the attack on Nandini, she left Bhadram and went to live with her parents, while Bhadram and Swathi continued staying in his house along with Saroja. The DSP said disagreements arose between Swathi and Bhadram over paying the compensation, leading to a heated argument. In a fit of rage, the 37-year-old allegedly killed Swathi by slashing her throat with a sharp knife and buried her body in his cotton field with the help of Saroja.
Acting on a tip-off from locals, police launched an investigation. DSP Rahman stated that Bhadram confessed to the crime during questioning.