Last Word ‘Babu’ of Killed School Principal Leads to Two Students’ Arrest
Police seized ₹1.54 lakh from their possession. Blood strains have been found on the currency.
Nalgonda:The last word “Babu” uttered by Kakateeya Grammar Concept School principal Kallu Roopa Reddy while on a phone call with her relative before her killing on August 11 has led police to crack the case with the arrest of two tenth class students of the school.
Police arrested the juveniles, both aged 16 years, for brutally killing Roopa Reddy in B.J. Colony of Kondamallepally in Nalgonda district. One juvenile in conflict with law (JCL-1) is from Pulsing Thanda and another student (JCL-2) belongs to Pilya Thanda in Kondamalley mandal of Nalgonda district.
Both had been studying in Class 10 of the Kakateeya Grammar Concept School and staying in the same room of the school hostel. After killing their principal, the duo stole ₹2.5 lakh in cash from her. Police seized ₹1.54 lakh from their possession. Blood strains have been found on the currency.
Briefing media at the District Police Office in Nalgonda, superintendent of police Sharath Chandra Pawar said the principal uttered “Babu” while talking with her relative over phone when the accused attacked her. This gave a big clue to the police, as the principal referred to her school’s male students as “Babu.”
Further, CCTV footage revealed the movement of a boy wearing a red T-shirt. This helped the police judge the physique. Inquiries by police helped them zero in on two 10th class students who had been spending money lavishly and hosting food parties for their friends over the last five days.
Police then took the two into custody at Doniyala cross road at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. They seized cash of ₹ 1.5 lakh from the pocket of a student. Their interrogation revealed that the student, native of Pulsing Thanda, went to the house of the principal and jumped into the compound from the wall on the rear of the house, where no CCTV cameras had been installed. He threatened principal Roopa Reddy with a knife to give the money she had.
Even though the student wore a face mask, she recognised him and shouted “Babu” even as she had been talking to her relative. The student stabbed her 27 times to kill her, as she had recognised him. JCL-2 stood at a water tank near the house, keeping an eye on anyone approaching the place.
SP Pawar said the two students reconnoitered the principal’s house and hatched a plan to avoid the CCTV camera. They also searched online on how to kill a person without leaving clues.
JCL-1 had developed enmity against the school principal for removing him from the hostel after finding money in his school bag and turning him into a day scholar. JCL-1 had also been known for liquor consumption.
The SP said they had formed five teams of 40 police personnel to examine footage of 70 CCTV cameras located within the 30-kilometres radius of the spot. They also questioned 80 suspects in the case.
Pawar warned that circulating the identity and photos of the minor accused would attract action as per the law.