Tenant kills landlady with 2 kin, loots gold jewellery worth over 11 tolas; Dumps body in Godavari

Hyderabad: What began as a routine missing person complaint ended in a bone-chilling murder-for-gain case, after Nacharam police arrested a 33-year-old man for brutally killing his elderly landlady, stealing her gold jewellery, and dumping her body in the Godavari River.

The accused, Maddhu Anji Babu alias Anji (33), was arrested at Poduladda Junction in Razole mandal, Konaseema district, Andhra Pradesh, days after a missing person case was registered at the Nacharam police station. Investigators said the swift breakthrough exposed a calculated crime rooted in greed and a shocking betrayal of trust. 

The victim, Suredde Sujatha (65), was living alone at her house in Baba Nagar, Mallapur, Hyderabad. Police said Anji Babu had taken a portion of her home on rent barely two months ago. During this period, he allegedly noticed that the elderly woman possessed gold ornaments and some cash, and began plotting her murder.

Police said that the crime took place on December 19, 2025. Anji Babu allegedly strangled Sujatha to death inside her own house, ensuring she could not raise an alarm.

He then stole her gold ornaments before fleeing the scene. The case was officially registered as a missing person complaint on December 28, after Sujatha’s relatives failed to contact her and found her house locked.

As investigators probed the disappearance, suspicion fell on the tenant, who had suddenly gone missing. Police tracked his movements using technical surveillance and local intelligence, eventually zeroing in on his hideout in Konaseema.

During interrogation, Anji Babu allegedly confessed to the murder. He revealed that with the help of his associates Durga Rao and Yuva Raj, he transported Sujatha’s body from Hyderabad to the Konaseema region and dumped it into the Godavari River in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Following the arrests, police recovered four gold bangles, a gold chain, and two gold ear-studs, along with mobile phones and other incriminating material used in the crime. All three accused have been taken into custody.

Police officials said there was no prior relationship between the victim and the accused apart from the tenancy arrangement, underscoring the random and cold-blooded nature of the crime. Further investigation is underway to establish if the accused was involved in other offences and to complete forensic formalities.