Woman Killed, Body Dismembered Over Property Row
Abdullapurmet inspector V. Ashok Reddy identified the deceased as Leela Devi and the accused as Pappu Ram Kumavat, Rakesh Kumavat and Sunil Kumar, all natives of Rajasthan residing in Batasingaram.
A 40-year-old woman was murdered and her body dismembered before being dumped near a lake in Abdullapurmet, allegedly by her cousin over a property dispute. Though the murder took place last month, the incident came to light on Wednesday.
Abdullapurmet inspector V. Ashok Reddy identified the deceased as Leela Devi and the accused as Pappu Ram Kumavat, Rakesh Kumavat and Sunil Kumar, all natives of Rajasthan residing in Batasingaram. Pappu Ram had initially lodged a missing complaint on March 8, stating that his sister had been missing since February 28. Police grew suspicious of his movements during the investigation, and on March 18 the accused were taken into custody, where they confessed to the crime.
Police said Leela Devi’s husband, who ran a kirana shop in LB Nagar, died in 2014, after which she continued to manage the shop. Ram, who had worked there for several years, later developed financial disputes with her. The two jointly purchased a 120-square yard house in Batasingaram for about ₹15 lakh, partly through loans. Though the property was registered in Ram’s name, Leela Devi demanded her share, which he refused. Their disagreements escalated, reportedly including one over her speaking to a friend on the phone.
On February 28, after her children left for school, the accused allegedly argued with her again and struck her head with a stick, killing her instantly. The body was hidden in a washroom at the back of the house before being taken in a car to Peddacheruvu in Majidpur. Police said the accused dismembered the body, placing the upper parts in one cover and her legs in another. “They put one cover in the lake, but it remained on the surface. The other cover they kept at the pond’s exit, hoping it would be carried away into the forest area by rain,” inspector Ashok Reddy said.
To avoid suspicion, the accused took the victim’s children to Rajasthan and, after being advised by elders, lodged a missing complaint. The case was later altered and registered under Sections 103(1), 238 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The accused have been arrested and produced before court.
A forensic team from Gandhi Hospital visited the crime scene and conducted an autopsy. The body was already decomposed, and viscera samples were collected for forensic analysis. “Doctors said so far it looks like she suffered internal head injuries, which led to her death,” the Inspector added. Further investigation is underway.
