Ex-RBI Employee Loses Rs.3.5 Lakh in Fake ECI Voter Verification Scam

In his complaint to Hyderabad Cyber Crimes Police, 75‑year‑old Vishnu Mohan Venna said he received an SMS four days ago asking him to share his voter ID card via WhatsApp. Believing it genuine, he sent a photo of his card. Soon after, he received a WhatsApp call where the caller claimed his name did not match his father’s name. Minutes later, he was asked to download an “ECI verification” link and fill in details.

The fraudsters then forwarded an APK file, asking him to install it and pay ₹5 as verification charges. When the payment failed, they video‑called him, citing server issues and insisting on face verification. Convinced it was part of the process, Mohan complied.

At 8.26 pm, he received an SMS alert that ₹3.25 lakh had been debited from his account without authorisation. Another ₹2 lakh was transferred from one of his accounts before he managed to alert bank officials and block further transactions. His debit card was deactivated soon after.

The family raised suspicion over the circumstances, pointing out that CCTV cameras in the ACP office room were not working and his mobile phone was handed over only after four hours. Mohan reported the incident through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

Police registered a case under Sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act, and Sections 318(4) and 319(2) of the BNS.

Rajapet police arrest 25-yr-old man for illegal trade of PDS rice

Rajapet police arrested a 25-year-old man on Wednesday and seized 20 quintals of fine rice meant for Public Distribution System (PDS) beneficiaries from his possession.

The arrested person was identified as Bhukya Nithin, a native of Puttagudem in Rajapet mandal of Yadadri-Bhongir district.

According to police, a patrol team caught Nithin at Puttagudem around 4 am while he was allegedly transporting PDS rice in an autorickshaw meant for distributing rice to ration cardholders.

During the inquiry, police found that Nithin was allegedly involved in purchasing and illegally transporting PDS rice.

Rajapet police registered a case and took up an investigation.

Private School Principal found dead in her house

A 45-year-old private school principal was found dead at her house in J.B. Colony of Kondamallepally in Nalgonda district on Wednesday, with police suspecting that she was killed by unidentified persons.

Kallu Rupa Reddy, principal of Nagarjuna Grammar School in Kondamallepally, was living alone at the house while her husband Rajender Reddy and son Abhiram were staying in Hyderabad.

According to police, Rupa Reddy had returned to Kondamallepally on Tuesday after spending three days with her family in Hyderabad. When her husband called her on Wednesday and she did not answer, he contacted a family living on the second floor of the building and asked them to check on her.

The family found Rupa Reddy dead in the hall. The main door of the house was bolted from outside.

Kondamallepally police reached the spot and questioned neighbours, who said they had not heard any unusual sounds during the night. A CLUES team from Nalgonda examined the scene and collected evidence. Police also examined CCTV footage from the area to identify suspicious movements around the house.

Devarakonda deputy superintendent of police M.V. Srinivasa Rao said the woman appeared to have been stabbed with a sharp object by unidentified persons. He said there was no indication of theft from the house.

Two police teams were formed to investigate the case and identify those responsible.

4-yr-old girl drowns in stream in Asifabad district

A four-year-old girl drowned after accidentally falling into a stream while playing at Dhanora Gonduguda village in Kerameri mandal of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district on Wednesday.

The girl was alone at home when her family members had gone to work in the fields. On returning home, they found her missing and searched the surrounding areas.

They later found the girl in the stream and took her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Students stage road blockade seeking change of hostel watchman

Intermediate students of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya staged a road blockade in front of their school at Pochamloddi in Jainoor mandal of Komaram Bheem Asifabad district on Wednesday, demanding that authorities change the hostel watchman.

The students alleged that the watchman was using abusive language against them and making false allegations. They demanded action against him and his suspension.

Traffic came to a halt on the road during the protest.

Mother, child run over by train

Tragedy struck a family when a mother, 26, and child, died while the mother was trying to save her two-year-old son. They were hit by a moving train, while her husband was working nearby, R. Yellappa, inspector, Kachiguda GRP said.

“I, along with my wife Orusu Anusha and 16 other contract labourers were cutting the branches of trees and bushes obstructing the track between Budvel and Shivarampally around 9.30 am on Tuesday. While we were busy with the work, none of us noticed my son, who was put to sleep by my wife earlier, moving towards the railway tracks just a few metres away. Desperate to save him, Anusha ran towards the tracks, where he was playing. She didn’t notice an Express train coming and died on the spot after both of them coming under the moving train,” Orusu Harish, the husband, told Deccan Chronicle on Wednesday with tears in his eyes.

Harish and Anusha, who wanted to educate their two kids in Hyderabad for a better life, came to the city on August 9 and were staying in a rented house in Shamshabad. The couple, both farming labourers, worked on daily wages in their native place in Pedda Pendyala village, Dharmasagar mandal of Warangal district, Anusha’s uncle Gantala Srinivas said.

Former UoH student held for supplying ganja to MTech student

Gachibowli police along with the EAGLE team arrested a former University of Hyderabad (UoH) student in connection with a ganja consumption case registered after an MTech student was found consuming the narcotic on the campus. Police said the arrested former student supplied 10 grams of ganja to the student for `500.

According to the Gachibowli police, the arrested person was identified as Biswajit Kalita alias Biswa, 28, an actor trainer residing in Gopanpalli, Serilingampally. He is a native of Arunachal Pradesh. Police apprehended him on Tuesday at the university campus and seized five grams of ganja from his possession.

On August 7, Gachibowli police received information that Bhukya Sai Sandesh, 24, an M.Tech second-year student, residing at Men’s Hostel, was habitually consuming ganja.

A police team reached the hostel and secured Sandesh, who admitted that he has been consuming ganja for some time and purchased 10 grams of dry ganja for `500 from his friend Biswa, who was located at the UoH campus on Tuesday and was taken into custody. Gachibowli police registered a case under the NDPS Act. A source said Biswa had confessed to supplying ganja to 15 other students.

Meanwhile, UoH said the safety and well-being of its students remained its highest priority and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy against substance abuse on campus. The university said an active anti-drug committee was monitoring campus activities and enforcing preventive measures.

Inter-state bike theft gang busted, 8 held

Adilabad police on Wednesday busted an interstate gang involved in bike theft and arrested eight persons, including those purchasing stolen motorcycles.

Five persons, who were in possession of the stolen bikes, have been identified as Marampelli Anil, 21, and Shaik Shabbir, 39, both residents of Chincholi village, Shaik Mustashahid, 36, of Keshavapatnam, and Mohammed Zakir, 55, and Mohammed Shafi, 37, both residents of Sirikonda village.

Three persons, who were involved in purchasing stolen bikes, have been identified as Mujahid and Kareem, both residents of Keshavapatnam, and Iqbal of Gundala.

Adilabad district superintendent of police Akhil Mahajan stated that the interstate gang involved in a series of bike thefts across erstwhile Adilabad district and surrounding areas of Maharashtra was apprehended and thereby putting to an end to their activities.

Speaking about the breakthroughs, Mahajan said that police focused specifically on series of two-wheeler thefts that had taken place within the limits of Ichoda police station and launched an investigation based on CCTV footages, technical evidence and reliable information.

On August 6, Dharade Balaji of Subhashnagar Colony approached Ichoda police station and lodged a complaint stating that unknown persons had stolen his motorcycle, which he had parked in front of his house.

Ichoda police team identified the accused and arrested them for questioning. During interrogation, the accused revealed that the gang had been formed with others for making illegal money, and stole approximately 44 two-wheelers from Ichoda, Adilabad, Nirmal and Nizamabad districts and surrounding areas of Maharashtra over a period of time.

The investigation also found that the stolen vehicles were sold to others for profits after changing their registration number plates. Based on the information provided by the accused, police recovered 44 two-wheelers.

Police were also collecting details of nearly 20 more persons, who had purchased the stolen vehicles. The process of identifying the original owners of the recovered vehicles was underway. Police are also probing whether other two-wheeler theft cases were reported in the past.

The SP appealed to vehicle owners to park their two-wheelers at secure locations and always lock them, preferably at places where CCTV cameras are installed and immediately inform police if they notice any suspicious persons or activities.

Inebriated man kills wife suspecting fidelity

A man brutally murdered his 37-year-old wife in Diwakarnagar, suspecting her fidelity, Ghatkesar police said. The man, who came home on Tuesday night in a drunken state, entered into a heated argument with his wife and smashed her head with a cement brick, killing her on the spot. The accused Karavat Raju had married Madhavi in 2014 and they have three children.

SIT nabs two in Arjun gang case from Rajasthan

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by city police commissioner V.C. Sajjanar arrested two key conspirators of Arjun’s gang involved in trapping and extorting affluent girls and women.

The accused — Koduri Meenakumari of Hyderabad and her paramour Vineel Chowdary alias Vineel Babu, a realtor from Vijayawada — were picked up from their hideout in Bandarsindri, Jaipur, and brought back to the city. They were produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody, a police officer disclosed on Wednesday.

Investigators said Meenakumari, mother of Arjun, and Vineel revealed that they lured victims through social media by posting pictures of Arjun alias Koduri Chandrasekhar Azad, his brother Ritesh, and other youth posing with luxury cars and villas. After befriending girls and young women from affluent families, they collected personal details and later blackmailed and extorted several lakhs.

The racket came to light after the mother of a minor victim lodged a complaint with Jubilee Hills police, leading to the arrest of Arjun and several others in June. Police said Arjun projected a wealthy lifestyle to build relationships, then allegedly recorded private moments and extorted money on Meenakumari’s instructions.

Following the arrest of Meenakumari and Vineel, SIT widened the probe, registered multiple cases, and detained several suspects for questioning. Senior women officials from SHE Teams and Bharosa are monitoring the investigation to identify more victims and conspirators.

Telangana forest beat officer killed by electrified snare

SOT finds adulterated food at Peerzadiguda bakery

The Special Operations Team (SOT), Uppal Zone, raided Gulf Bakery in Peerzadiguda following information about alleged food adulteration. During the inspection, officials found food items being prepared in unhygienic conditions using banned synthetic food colours and expired raw materials.

The team seized synthetic food colours, expired flavouring agents, jam, sauces and cakes. Authorities said the use of such materials posed health risks to consumers and warned of strict action against those endangering public health through adulterated food practices. Officials urged food business operators to comply with food safety norms and maintain hygiene standards.

Ugandan woman involved in drug peddling deported, permanently blacklisted

Hyderabad narcotic enforcement wing (H-NEW) team arrested a Ugandan national named Nabanjja Sharon (36) after she was found involved in drug peddling in Hyderabad and Bangalore. She was deported back to Uganda on Wednesday.

Sharon was roaming suspiciously in Tolichowki and during questioning she could not produce any satisfactory answers or proper documents regarding her residence in Hyderabad, a police officer disclosed.

H-NEW division, who initiated deportation proceedings through the FRRO, Hyderabad, after her biometric details concluded that the tourist visa had expired despite having a valid passport. After getting an exit permit from FRRO, she was completely barred (blacklisted) from entering India in future as part of measures to curb undesirable activities detrimental to national security.

Sharon, who admitted that she was illegally staying in India despite her visa expired on May 4, 2019, had arrived in India on March 6, 2019 through Delhi airport on e-Tourist Visa. Later she went to Bangalore for employment and did small jobs there. After that, she made contacts with drug gangs with the intention of earning easy money and leading a luxurious life. She was also involved in other illegal activities along with drug peddlers in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Pregnant woman under treatment dies, family members allege doctors’ negligence

A 30-year-old pregnant woman died while undergoing treatment in Sangareddy government hospital Wednesday morning. Following the incident, her family members lodged a complaint with Sangareddy police alleging that the death was due to the negligence of the doctors.

D. Anita, a native of Bandarugudem village, Pulkal mandal of Sangareddy, was admitted to the hospital three days ago for her first delivery, police said.

Rats bite six students sleeping in Khammam residential school

Rats bit six girl students sleeping at the Social Welfare Girls’ Residential School at Adavimalle in Penuballi mandal of Khammam district on Tuesday night, which created a panic among students. The injured students have been shifted to a primary health centre at Lankasagar, where doctors administered anti-rabies and other injections to prevent complications from the rat bites. Students have alleged that the principal had not taken any action to prevent rat bites even though such incidents have taken place earlier too. School principal N. Ujwala Kumari said required measures would be taken to avoid reoccurrence of such incidents. At the same time, she pointed out that students are bringing food from outside and eating while sitting on their beds. This is attracting the rats. Kallur sub-collector Ajay Yadav visited the school on Wednesday and instructed the principal to resolve the menace of rats within four days

Rs 2.5 lakh in dummy currency found in Kondagattu temple hundi

Dummy currency notes with a face value of `2.5 lakh were found in the hundi of the Sri Anjaneya Swamy temple at Kondagattu during counting on Wednesday.

Temple authorities said staff found five bundles of `500 denomination dummy notes while counting the offerings. The notes were reportedly used for a film shoot.

The hundi also contained 133 foreign currency notes.

The temple received `1.62 crore in offerings during the 80-day period covered by the counting.

Armed robbers involved in Afzalgunj firing traced and caught by city cops in Bihar

Two armed robbers, who created a ruckus by opening fire in broad daylight in Afzalgunj on January 16 last year, have reportedly been tracked and arrested by city police from Bihar. The robbers had fled after injuring a travels manager in the incident.

Prior to the Agzalgunj incident, the same armed robbers had carried out a fatal armed heist at a State Bank of India ATM in Bidar, Karnataka, killing a security guard and looting `93 lakh.

On January 16 afternoon, after boarding a bus to Raichur, the suspects shot and injured Mohammed Jahangir, a manager at Roshan Travels in Afzalgunj, after he asked to inspect their luggage upon noticing bundles of cash.

The armed robbers, Aman Kumar alias Manish Kushwaha and Alok Aka Ashutosh Aka Ambani alias Amit both natives of Fatehpur Phulwaria of Vaishali district, Bihar, who were in police radar, have reportedly been brought back to the city by the special teams for questioning. The arrest is yet to be disclosed officially, reliable sources disclosed.

Bidar police had announced a reward of `5 lakh, whereas UP police had already announced a reward of `4 lakhs on the accused, who were wanted for the past 20 months in extortion, loots and grave offences.

Kondagattu temple takes action against 4 staff over alleged fund misappropriation

Kondagattu Anjaneyaswamy temple authorities have initiated action against four staff members over alleged misappropriation of temple funds during 2022-23.

Senior assistant K. Srinivasa Chary, who was under suspension, was dismissed from service following an inquiry.

Two increments each of former assistant executive officer B. Srinivas, former superintendent G. Srinivas Sharma and superintendent D. Sunil Kumar were stopped as disciplinary action.

B. Srinivas is currently working as AEO at the Mallikarjuna Swamy temple in Komuravelli, while G. Srinivas Sharma is working at the Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple in Vemulawada.

Cong. leader booked for caste abuse

DC CORRESPONDENT

HYDERABAD, AUG. 12

LB Nagar police booked Congress leader Jakkidi Prabhakar Reddy following a complaint that he abused and humiliated a political associate by referring to his caste during political differences.

The complaint was lodged by Budda Satyanarayana, 52, director of the Hyderabad Agricultural Market Committee and a resident of Mansoorabad. He said he has been active in politics for three decades, earlier serving as Congress Mansoorabad Division president and maintaining close ties with leaders in the LB Nagar constituency.

Satyanarayana stated that he worked with State Youth Congress president Jakkidi Shivacharan Reddy and his father Prabhakar Reddy. He alleged that Prabhakar Reddy developed animosity after political differences and subsequently abused and threatened him by referring to his Erukala (ST) caste.

He further alleged that Reddy insulted him and his family through phone calls and in person, while making derogatory remarks in conversations with associates and political leaders. Some of these remarks, he said, were circulated on social media.

The complainant stated that obscene language was used to target his caste, family background, occupation and social status, with the intention of humiliating him socially and politically and obstructing his growth in public life. He said the remarks caused mental distress to him, his wife, children and other family members, and that members of his community expressed concern after learning of the alleged abuse.

Based on the complaint, LB Nagar police registered a case under Section 352 of the BNS and Sections 3(1)(r)(s) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Food safety team flags hygiene lapses at Zepto store in Ramanthapur

A food safety team during an inspection of Biottic foods private limited, a Zepto store in Ramanthapur, Uppal, found several hygiene and storage-related deficiencies.

Officials found the ice-cream cold storage room unhygienic and the freezers in need of proper defrosting and maintenance. Ice-cream products were also stored in an improper and unorganised manner.

A bottle of Raw Pressery Alphonso mango fruit drink was found with visible fungal growth. Cobwebs were observed across the premises, while cleaning was not being carried out as per the prescribed schedule.

The inspection also found the cold-room floor to be slippery, besides leakage and dust accumulation on the outer packaging of some products.

The store scored 66 per cent in the hygiene assessment, with the inspection highlighting deficiencies in cleaning, cold-chain storage and product handling.