Two women and a child from Karimnagar, who came to Hyderabad four days ago, were found dead under mysterious circumstances in a secluded area in Jawaharnagar on Monday morning.
The victims, Arekale Sumathi and Sriramula Anusha, both aged between 25 and 27 years, committed suicide by hanging from two different trees at Gabbilalapet late on Sunday, before killing the latter’s eight-year-old daughter Uma Maheshwari, police said. The girl’s body was found a few feet away on the ground.
According to Kushaiguda ACP K Shiva Kumar, the women made Uma Maheshwari consume soft drink laced with poison and later strangled her to death. “After confirming that the girl was dead, both Anusha and Sumathi, who were close friends, resorted to the extreme step,” he said.
When asked about the reason behind their act, the officer said that on Thursday evening the women had an altercation with their respective husbands and left their homes on Friday. “On Thursday the duo went to a ration shop in Karimnagar to get commodities. After they returned, their husbands became furious and picked up an argument with them for turning up late,” he said.
The next day, Anusha along with her daughter and friend Sumathi left their homes without informing their spouses and reached Shameerpet in a private vehicle. “Upon reaching there, they contacted a pastor who provided them food and shelter at a church in Jawaharnagar area,” Mr. Kumar said.
Around 11.30 p.m. on Sunday, the two women and the child left the church and came to Gabbilalapet, where they resorted to the extreme step.
The investigators suspect that Anusha and Sumathi were reportedly upset and humiliated by the behaviour of their husbands and no suicide note was found on the spot. On Monday morning, locals who found the bodies informed the village authorities who in turn alerted the police.
The Jawaharnagar police along with the CLUES team reached the spot and took up the investigation. A case was registered and the bodies were shifted to Gandhi Hospital morgue for autopsy.
There is always someone to listen at: +914066202000 or 6666 1117 in case of any emotional breakdowns at this Hyderabad-based suicide intervention centre Roshni.