HYDERABAD: More than a week after private school principal Roopa Reddy was found murdered at her home in Nalgonda district, police have apprehended two Class 10 students of the same school, alleging that they killed her after she caught one of them stealing from her house.
Roopa was found dead inside her home on August 11 while she was alone. Police said she had been stabbed 27 times.
A crucial clue emerged from Roopa’s final phone conversation with her aunt. Investigators said she uttered the word “babu” while speaking to her aunt shortly before her phone was switched off.
Since “babu” is also commonly used to address students, police began examining whether students from Roopa’s school could have been involved.
Investigators questioned people familiar with Roopa and her daily routine, including school staff and students. The probe gained momentum after police noticed that two Class 10 students had suddenly begun spending lavishly and partying with friends after the murder.
“Following the murder, we noticed that two students were suddenly spending money lavishly and partying with their friends. This raised suspicion, and we took both juveniles into custody on Wednesday morning,” Nalgonda Superintendent of Police Sharat Chandra Pawar said.
Police recovered Rs 1.51 lakh in cash and an iPhone from one of the juveniles. The boy initially claimed that his parents had given him the money. However, forensic examination of the cash detected traces of human blood, the SP said.
Principal had reprimanded one of the boys
According to police, the two boys had a habit of consuming liquor. One of them was particularly interested in riding and driving bikes and cars and wanted to make money quickly.
Investigators found that the juvenile had come under Roopa’s scrutiny around 15 days before the murder. The principal and some school staff had allegedly found him carrying a mobile phone and cash in a bag.
He was reprimanded, and Roopa later decided to remove him from the hostel and allow him to attend only regular classes. His parents were also informed about his conduct, police said.
Police suspect the incident may have prompted the juvenile to target Roopa’s house. He allegedly believed she would have a substantial amount of cash at home on August 11 because the school was collecting fees that day.
Boys allegedly planned murder five days in advance
According to police, the alleged plan was made around five days before the murder. The two juveniles allegedly procured gloves and a knife and conducted a recce of the area, including the location of CCTV cameras, to avoid detection.
On August 11, one of the boys allegedly scaled the compound wall and entered Roopa’s house while the other waited outside.
The juvenile inside allegedly began searching for cash. Roopa was speaking on the phone when she noticed him inside the house.
Fearing that she would recognise him and report the theft to police, the juvenile allegedly attacked her with a knife.
Police said he stabbed Roopa 27 times before fleeing with around Rs 2.5 lakh in cash.
After the murder, the juvenile allegedly threw the clothes he had been wearing into a drain in an attempt to destroy evidence.
The two juveniles have been apprehended and produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. The process of shifting them to a juvenile home is underway, police said.
