In a chilling case from Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, three women have been arrested for allegedly killing four people by mixing cyanide in their drinks after befriending them and later robbing their valuables. The police uncovered the murders while investigating the suspicious death of a woman named Shaik Nagoor Bi in Vadlamudi village, Guntur district, in June 2024. The trio – Munagappa Rajini (40), Madiyala Venkateshwari (32), and Gulra Ramanamma (60) – were arrested by the police on Thursday, September 5.
Nagoor Bi’s decomposed body was discovered near a quarry, and while the cause of death was initially unclear, further investigation revealed cyanide poisoning. Her son, Shaik Tameej, informed authorities that his mother had spoken to Rajini and Venkateswari before leaving home on June 5. Based on this lead, the police traced the victim’s last movements and found that she had been in an auto-rickshaw with the accused on the day of her death.
The auto driver, Mahesh, had been assisting the accused, not only by transporting them but also supplying alcohol. Police believe that the accused lured Nagoor Bi to the crime scene under the guise of giving her a treat and then poisoned her drink with cyanide. They stole her gold jewellery and money before fleeing the scene.
The investigation also revealed that Venkateswari and Ramanamma had used this method in three previous murders and were planning to target two more persons.
The police said that Venkateswari used to work as a ward volunteer for four years before travelling to Cambodia and allegedly getting involved in cybercrimes, from where she returned to India due to health issues.
The police also said that the murder spree was allegedly driven by financial gain, with the accused borrowing small loans from their victims and killing them with cyanide to avoid repayment.