Within six days, the police arrested the accused who allegedly murdered a 60-year-old woman at her house in Pendurti and made good with ₹ 30,000 cash and about 15 tolas of gold ornaments.
The arrested was identified as Lenka Mohan Rao (26), Nayak in the Indian Army and a native of Nellimarla in Vizianagaram district.
According to DCP (crime) T. Ravi Kumar Murthy, the accused who was known to the victim, Mahanti Ramalakshmi, approached her on June 13 at her residence and smothered her to death before stealing the cash that was kept in the cupboard and gold ornaments that she was wearing.
Giving details, the DCP said Mohan Rao works as a Nayak in the Military Engineering Group. But he did not report for duty since May 2016 in Bangalore. “He was steeped in debts due to vices and womanising,” said the DCP.
Jogunaidu, brother-in-law of the deceased, was a friend of the accused. And the accused along with Joggunaidu had visited the victim’s house about two months ago, when Ramalakshmi suffered a fracture.
At that time Mohan Rao came to know that Ramalaxmi was a widow and staying alone, said the DCP.
In May, the accused married a girl by name Varalakshmi and was living in her house in Akkayyapalem since then. But prior to that the accused allegedly promised to marry another girl and even took about ₹ 42,000 as loan from the girl’s brother. This apart, his commitments to a number of illicit relationships had landed him in debts. And to overcome financial problems he hatched the plan to rob Ramalakshmi, said ADCP (Crime) S. Varadaraju. He even carried chilli powder along with him when he visited the victim’s house.
However, when Ramalakshmi resisted his attempts to rob her the accused smothered her to death and sped away with booty, Mr. Varadaraju said.
The police were clueless for about two days, until someone informed that a black motorcycle with the words ‘Mahanti’ inscribed on the number plate was parked near Ramalaxmi’s house between 12 and 1 pm on the day of the crime.
“This gave us leads to track the accused. During questioning Jogunaidu told us that the vehicle belonged to him and he gave it to Mohan Rao on that day.
We could trace Mohan Rao by tracking his old cell number and social media account and arrested him,” said Mr. Ravi Kumar Murthy.
