The Andhra Pradesh police on Tuesday arrested two persons who had collaborated to allegedly kill 10 persons by offering prasadam (ritual offering) laced with cyanide.
The accused — Vellanki Simhadri alias Siva and Sk. Ameenullah Babu alias Babu — committed the murders over 20 months and robbed the victims of cash and jewellery, said West Godavari district Superintendent of Police N.S. Grewal.
Simhadri robbed cash to the tune of ₹28 lakh cash and 35.25 sovereigns of ornaments from the victims. Of this, ₹1.63 lakh and 23 sovereigns of gold have been recovered, Mr. Grewal said.
Simhadri had approached Babu for a supply of cyanide and the latter obliged fully knowing his intentions, Mr. Grewal said. Babu, in turn, procured the cyanide from his brother’s nickel coating shop.
Mr. Grewal said Simhadri, a realtor, used to perform ‘pujas’ and lure people with the offer of doubling their money. After gaining the confidence of the victims, he used to kill them by offering cyanide-laced prasadam .
