Woman pours insecticide on husband, strangles him to death in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: In a shocking case of cold-blooded murder, a city-based woman allegedly killed her inebriated husband by spraying household insecticide in his mouth. The accused, Devika confessed to having committed the heinous crime as she was not able to bear the torture inflicted by her husband Jagan.

After the murder, Devika tried to shift Jagan’s body with her brother’s help, but their house owners happened to notice it and alerted the police. Their son Uday initially told police that he saw an ‘uncle’ with beard, wearing a backpack and red coloured shoes in their house in the night, but later the boy did not reveal much about the ‘uncle’.

Banoth Jagan, working as a helper in a private hospital, lived with his wife Devika and their two children Uday and Joshitha in a rented flat at Gnani Zail Singh nagar at Film nagar under Banjara Hills police station. On Monday midnight, the house owner Vinod Nayak received a call from his sister, alerting them of suspicious movement in the apartment.  

When Vinod came out searching, he found Jagan lying unconscious inside his flat. Devika and her brother Rajesh, who works as a driver for a retired police official, panicked on seeing him. “When enquired, the duo claimed Jagan had died and they were taking him to their hometown. Suspecting foul play, I called a friend, asked him to stand guard and went to call the police,” said Vinod.  Later, when police inquired, Devika revealed the details. Monday being his weekly off, Jagan was at home. He allegedly asked Devika for alcohol. She told him all shops were closed for Bonalu and asked him to get some from her brother Rajesh who stays in the neighbourhood.

A mystery man in house?
After the murder, Devika tried to shift Jagan’s body with her brother’s help, but their house owners happened to notice it and alerted the police. Their son Uday initially told police that he saw an ‘uncle’ with beard in their house in the night, but later  the boy did not reveal  much about the ‘uncle’

He refused to visit Rajesh, but went out and came back home heavily drunk. In the midnight, he allegedly woke Devika from sleep and said they should commit suicide leaving the kids behind. He even allegedly gave her a glass mixed with insecticide.

When she refused to drink it, he allegedly threw the glass and sprayed the insecticide on her face. Unable to take it anymore, she kicked him on his genitals following which he fell on the ground. As the kids woke up hearing the noise, she pulled them into the bathroom and locked them up. Later, she sprayed the same insect killer on Jagan’s case, sat on his chest and throttled him to death.

Not knowing he had died, she got her kids out of the bathroom and went back to sleep. When she realised Jagan showed no movements, she called her brother. “Apart from the torture, we suspect other issues behind the murder. An investigation is underway.” said police inspector K Srinivas.