The sensational case of a mess worker brutally killing his employer's wife in Punjagutta nearly two years ago ended in conviction on Friday with a local court sentencing him to life imprisonment.
The court held U. Nagaraju, 23, guilty of murdering B. Lalitha, 43, wife of Babu Mess owner, Prabhakar Reddy, in Imperial Apartment building opposite Green Park hotel. The accused joined the mess in first week of July, 2010 and was sacked within a few days for laziness.
He wouldn't wake up early and follow what the employer said, the then Punjagutta Inspector, Ashoka Chakravarthy, who investigated and filed charge-sheet in the case, said.
The worker, however, rejoined four days later, but was frequently taken to task for improper work.
He nursed grudge against Lalitha over this and wanted to take vengeance. On July 20, 2010, Reddy left for market around 10.30 a.m. Nagaraju, who was biding for time, diverted the attention of co-worker, Srinivas, by telling him that foul smell was emanating from the toilet and requested him to see if rat died inside it.
Stabs with scissors
“He bolted the toilet door from outside when Srinivas stepped inside,” Mr. Chakravarthy explained. The worker then rushed to Ms. Lalitha, who was stitching clothes on sewing machine, and stabbed her to death with a pair of scissors and knife.
Srinivas could hear her screams for help but was helpless. The accused was later caught in Dilsukhnagar. “Stains of the victim's blood found on the clothes worn by the accused were crucial evidence connecting the killer to the crime,” the Additional Public Prosecutor, S. Gopal Singh, said.
The bloodstained clothes preserved by the worker in Sulabh complex in Dilsukhnagar were recovered by the police.
