Insurance killing: 5 held in Nalgonda

Hyderabad: Five persons allegedly involved in a murder to claim Rs 1.2 crore insurance money were arrested on Tuesday by the Nalgonda police.

According to police, the main accused reportedly faked murders and natural deaths as road accident fatalities to claim insurance. In the past decade, he along with his associates had allegedly killed four persons, faked them as road accident fatalities and claimed insurance.

The main accused, D Raju, a resident of Rallavagu thanda in Nalgonda, worked as an insurance agent. Nalgonda police came to know about Raju’s activity when he allegedly committed the murder of liquor store worker, D Koti Reddy, in February, 2021.

In January 2020, Raju came to know that Koti Reddy of Kondrapole in Nalgonda was an alcoholic and his wife was reportedly having an affair. Raju met Reddy’s wife and her alleged paramour Kondal to discuss about killing Reddy after obtaining an insurance policy on his name. Raju along with Reddy’s wife Harika had taken three insurance policies on his name for Rs 1.2 crore and paid premium between May 2020 and June 2020. Raju then made a deal with his friend Shiva of Miryalaguda to kill Reddy by offering him Rs 2 lakh, police said.

As per the plan, on February 24, 2021, Shiva along with his friend Sai picked up Reddy in their auto when he was returning home from the liquor shop. At an isolated place near Kondrapole, Sai held Reddy tightly and Shiva gave severe fist blows on his chest, killing him on the spot. They dumped the body on the road and Raju, who was following them, drove a tractor over the body to make it appear like a road accident death, deputy inspector general (DIG), Nalgonda, AV Ranganath said at a media briefing.

However, the doctor, who performed the autopsy, informed police that the injuries on the body indicate that it might not be a road accident death. Cops then dug deep and unearthed Raju’s criminal activity and arrested him along with Shiva, Sai, Reddy’s wife Harika and Kondal.

“In the past one decade, Raju along with his associates claimed insurance in the name of six people out of which four were killed by the accused and two were natural deaths, faked as road accidents. Raju along with his associates attempted to claim Rs 3.39 crore insurance amount over the years and they were successful in claiming Rs 1.59 crore amount,” the DIG said.

Source: The Times of India