A daylight murder in the city and an assault on an elderly citizen in recent days has sparked panic in the region.

On January 31, armed intruders barged into the house of 52-year-old Yedupati Padmavathi in Vijayawada and slit her throat. They then ransacked the house, and fled with jewellery, valuables and ₹6 lakh in cash from the house.

Police suspect the role of a gang from Uttar Pradesh in the daylight murder which has rocked the city. Police officials investigating the case said that the attackers might have conducted a recce of the house before deciding on an opportune time to break into the house. The ghastly murder occurred when Padmavathi’s husband Venkateswarlu was away.

“This is the handiwork of professional killers. The miscreants sprinkled chilli powder at the scene of crime to throw sniffer dogs off their scent. However, we have obtained a few leads and we are hopeful of cracking the case soon,” said Vijayawada Police Commissioner Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao.

Students turn criminals

In another incident, two engineering students of a private college attacked 72-year-old Matta Vijaya Lakshmi at Vatluru on the outskirts of Eluru on the same day.

The students met Vijaya Lakshmi on the pretext of enquiring for rented accommodation. While one of the students waited outside, the second person entered the house and threatened Vijaya Lakshmi at knifepoint demanding her to hand over her jewellery.

When she raised an alarm, the youth stabbed her and fled. Locals rushed her to hospital and police registered a case.