NALGONDA: Nalgonda police on Wednesday said two Class 10 students had been arrested for the grisly murder of their school principal, who was stabbed 27 times at her home on the evening of August 11.
Police said one of the students planned the crime and enlisted the other to carry it out after they allegedly bore a grudge against the principal for reprimanding them in front of their parents. The students had also searched online for ways to commit murder without leaving evidence, police said.
The murder of K Roopa Reddy, principal of Nagarjuna Grammar Concept School in Kondamallepalli, came to light the following day, August 12.
According to Nalgonda SP Sharat Chandra Pawar, the two students were from Pulsing Thanda and Pilya Thanda in Kondamallepalli mandal and studied at the same school. They also lived in the same hostel room.
Police said the murder was preceded by a series of steps taken by the students over a week. They had allegedly been using mobile phones secretly to access social media and YouTube while looking for ways to make quick money.
Last month, Roopa Reddy caught the students with money in their hostel room and reprimanded them in the presence of their parents. Police said the incident led to resentment against the principal. The students allegedly believed that Roopa Reddy had a large amount of cash at home and began looking for ways to rob her.
After a recce of the area around the principal’s house, on August 11, one of the students brought an orange hoodie and trousers from his home. The two then bought a knife and gloves in Kondamallepalli and went to Roopa Reddy’s house near a water tank.
The student who had allegedly planned the crime remained outside as a lookout, while the other entered through an open kitchen door. He allegedly attacked Roopa Reddy with the knife, stabbing her 27 times.
‘Babu’: One word that helped cops nab the killers
The two then allegedly entered the bedroom, took `2.50 lakh and escaped over the rear wall. Police said the knife, gloves, mask and a mobile phone were discarded in bushes, while the hoodie was thrown into a drain after the students changed clothes.
The investigation initially yielded few leads. But a single word spoken by Roopa Reddy shortly before her last phone call ended gave police a direction.
Roopareddy had been speaking to her aunt when she uttered the word “Babu” before the call was disconnected. Investigators later found that she used the word affectionately while addressing male students at the school. This shifted the focus of the investigation towards the students.
The school remained closed for six days following the murder. After it reopened, police questioned students and began monitoring five of them who had recently shown signs of having more money and had stayed away from classes for two days.
CCTV footage subsequently helped investigators narrow down the suspects.
On Wednesday around 11.30 a.m., police intercepted the two students while they were riding a motorcycle near Doniyala X Road. They were travelling from Pendlipakala X Road towards Mallepalli.
A search allegedly revealed 1.54 lakh hidden in their undergarments. Police also found three 500 notes bearing bloodstains.
The students subsequently confessed to the murder and robbery, police said. Investigators recovered 1.54 lakh in cash, Roopareddy’s iPhone, the knife, gloves, masks and two mobile phones.
Police also questioned Roopareddy’s husband during the investigation as they examined the circumstances surrounding her death.
Five special teams, comprising about 40 personnel and led by the Devarakonda DSP, worked on the case using forensic evidence, fingerprints, dog squads, technical analysis and CCTV footage. Police said footage from about 70 cameras covering a 30-km radius was examined and more than 80 people were questioned before the two students were arrested.
