Two women married to a ‘brothel organiser’ murdered his third wife and got her body cremated by him at Malkajgiri.
The killing of 30-year-old Mamata a month ago and her cremation at a crematorium to erase evidence of the murder came to light on Thursday. Jawaharnagar police arrested Vijaya Lakshmi and Renuka for the murder.
Their husband Mohan and his brother Shiva were held for concealing the evidence by cremating the body.
Jawaharnagar Inspector P. Venkatagiri said Mohan, who was earlier arrested on charges of operating brothels, had married the two accused and the victim, along with another woman Kavitha. Mamata and Kavitha lived at Dammaiguda in Jawaharnagar, while Vijay Lakshmi, Mohan’s first wife, and Renuka, his second, resided at Secunderabad.
Differences cropped up between the women as both felt Mohan was ignoring them at the behest of Mamata, who was four months pregnant. The accused planned to settle scores, the Inspector said.
On February 12, Mohan and his four wives went to Shiva’s house at Dammaiguda to attend a wedding. “All the family members got drunk, and seizing the opportunity, Lakshmi and Renuka strangled Mamata to death,” Mr. Venkatagiri said. Kavitha was told not to reveal the murder to anyone.
Shiva later told neighbours that Mamata died a natural death. “The family took he body in an auto to a crematorium in Malkajgiri and performed the last rites,” the official said. However, Kavita spilled the beans to a friend who in turn alerted the police. The police are now trying to gather evidence to nail the accused as the body was burnt and all they have is copy of the cremation certificate.
