Telangana principal stabbed 27 times, one word leads cops to Class 10 killers

Telangana police alleged that two minor former students killed school principal Roopa Reddy at her home in Nalgonda for cash. Investigators tracked them through CCTV footage, her final "Babu" clue and bloodstained currency notes recovered from one of the accused.

In Short

• Bloodstained cash found with one minor linked to the murder
• Motive linked to resentment and theft of money from principal's house
• An aunt's last call revealed the word 'Babu' as a clue

A term that Roopa Reddy, a school principal in Telangana’s Nalgonda district, used while addressing students has led police to her killers -- two Class 10 students who are accused of stabbing her 27 times. Both have now been detained for Reddy's murder, the investigation of which has uncovered a story of resentment, a house recce, and blood-stained currency.

The murder took place on August 11 and Nalgonda SP Sharath Chandra Pawar said that initially police formed five teams and examined footage from nearly 70 CCTV cameras as they worked to identify the killers.

The breakthrough came from Roopa Reddy's conversation with her aunt over the phone sometime around the time of her murder. While the police haven't said exactly at what point the phone call took place, they revealed that during the conversation, she had addressed someone as “Babu”.

Investigators learnt that this was a term she commonly used while addressing students at the school. That detail prompted police to look closely at students who had been absent from school around the time of the murder.

BREAKTHROUGH

Police initially identified 13 students, five of whom were in Class 10, who had been absent and questioned them. Investigators soon noticed something unusual -- two of the students who had been absent appeared to be spending money lavishly.

That raised suspicion. After further probe, the police found Rs 1.54 lakh in cash with one of the minors.

The minor's explanation was that his parents had given him the money. But, investigators noticed bloodstains on the currency notes and sent them for forensic examination. The blood on the currency notes was confirmed to be that of Roopa Reddy, which turned the minors into prime suspects.

Investigators then began piecing together their possible motive and movements before the murder.

According to police, one of the minors had earlier stayed in the school hostel and was reportedly fond of alcohol and motorcycles. Roopa Reddy had allegedly found cash and a phone in his bag. She reprimanded him and later shifted him from the hostel to day-scholar status.

Police suspect that the action had left him resentful towards her. The investigation also found that the student had travelled to Goa about a month before the murder and was allegedly looking for ways to make money.

THE MURDER

Then, five days before Roopa Reddy was killed, he allegedly conducted a recce of her house. Police said he had learnt that money from school fee collections could be kept at the residence, making it a potential target.

On August 11, Roopa Reddy returned home from school. Police allege that the two minors then scaled the compound wall, entered the house wearing masks and attacked her.

But during the assault, one of the accused allegedly lost his mask. Police believe that allowed Roopa Reddy to recognise him.

Police allege that the accused then attacked her repeatedly with a knife, stabbing her 27 times.

After the killing, they allegedly took the cash from her home and two mobile phones and fled.

The investigation later recovered Rs 1.54 lakh in cash, an iPhone and Roopa Reddy's mobile phone from the accused, police said.

As both accused are minors, police said they would be produced before the Juvenile Justice Court with further proceedings and investigation underway.

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