Former Maid Arrested For Murder Of Elderly Woman

Kurnool: Kurnool police have cracked a sensational murder case in which a 75-year-old woman was killed for jewellery and property by her former domestic help.

According to police, the victim, Katasani Shivanila alias Shivalila, a resident of Sri Sai Vaibhav Nagar in Kurnool town, was found dead in her house on September 1.

Superintendent of Police Vikrant Patil said on Tuesday that unidentified persons had entered the house, attacked her on the head with a blunt object, and fled with a gold chain and bangles. Based on a complaint by her son-in-law Chandra Sekhar Reddy, III-Town police registered a case under relevant sections of the BNS.

During investigation, CCTV footage and call data led police to suspect Kurava Varalakshmi, who had earlier worked as a domestic help at the victim’s house. A special team, formed under the supervision of SDPO Kurnool, traced and arrested the accused at her sister’s house in Chetlamallapuram village on Tuesday.

Police said Varalakshmi admitted to the crime. On September 1, after withdrawing her widow pension from her native Gopalanagaram, she travelled to Kurnool, covered her face with a cloth, and entered the victim’s house pretending to return to work. Finding Shivalila alone in the kitchen, she picked up an object and struck her repeatedly on the head. After ensuring she was unconscious, the accused snatched a six-tola gold chain, four bangles weighing five tolas, and stole two bags containing valuables before escaping through the back door.

On her arrest, police recovered the stolen property, including the gold ornaments, imitation jewellery, six cheque books, seven bank passbooks belonging to the victim’s family, and the object used in the murder, which had been hidden inside the house.

The SP appreciated the efforts of SDPO Kurnool J. Babu Prasad, circle inspectors P. Sheshaiah (III-Town) and Chandrababu Naidu (Rural), sub-inspector Dhanunjaya (Ulindakonda), and their staff for successfully solving the case.