Mother-Son Crime Shocker: Telangana Woman Allegedly Trains Minor To Kill Women For Jewellery

A 38-year-old woman allegedly involved her minor son in a series of murders and robberies targeting women who lived alone, with gold jewellery as the main motive, police said. The shocking case was reported from Bhoompalli village in Telangana’s Siddipet district. Police allege that the mother-son duo murdered two women, robbed another and had identified four more potential victims. Siddipet Police Commissioner Rashmi Perumal said the case was solved within a week after special teams were formed and CCTV footage from the area was examined. The deceased have been identified as 45-year-old Atikam Vijaya of Bhoompalli and Kunta Rekha, who lived in the same locality. Mother-Son Duo Allegedly Planned Crimes According to police, the accused, identified as Tellakula Rajitha, allegedly planned the crimes to make quick money and involved her minor son in carrying them out. Investigators said Rajitha allegedly trained her son physically by installing gym equipment at home. The two also allegedly watched crime-related videos on YouTube while planning their attacks. “The duo allegedly observed people at tea stalls and other places, gathering information about their assets, personal disputes and movements. They allegedly chose women who lived alone or had family or property disputes, believing that suspicion would fall on people already involved in those disputes,” Rashmi Perumal said. Woman Allegedly Strangled, Body Set On Fire Police said Vijaya was allegedly called to Rajitha’s grocery shop on August 8, 2026, under the pretext of having a conversation. The mother and son allegedly strangled her and took her jewellery. They allegedly then transported her body on a moped to the outskirts of Ramakkapet, where petrol was poured over it and the body was set on fire. However, rain prevented the body from being completely burnt, leading to a police investigation. “The CCTV footage and other evidence reportedly helped investigators identify Rajitha’s movements as suspicious. During questioning, police said they uncovered details of the alleged murder and other crimes,” the Commissioner said. Investigators also linked the duo to the May 28 murder of Kunta Rekha. Police said she was allegedly killed in a similar manner, after which her body was taken to the outskirts of Achumayapalli and burnt. The investigation also found that in June 2025, the accused allegedly attacked Annapurna, the wife of a village resident, during her morning walk and robbed her of a gold chain weighing around five tolas. Four More Women Allegedly On Target List Police said the investigation showed that the accused had identified four more potential victims. According to investigators, the victims were deliberately selected in a way that could shift suspicion towards their family members, social media contacts or people already involved in disputes with them. Police Allege Plan To Kill Husband Investigators also uncovered allegations involving Rajitha’s husband. Police said she had allegedly taken an insurance policy in his name and planned to kill him. As part of the alleged plan, she reportedly subjected him to physical torture, including pouring hot water on his legs, leaving him largely bedridden. Police said this aspect of the case is also being investigated. Gold, Cash And Other Items Recovered Police recovered 5.61 tolas of gold jewellery, 53 tolas of silver ornaments, Rs 1.03 lakh in cash, a TVS XL vehicle and two mobile phones. The total value of the seized property has been estimated at around Rs 10 lakh. Investigators also recovered the skull and bones of Kunta Rekha from the location where her body was allegedly burnt. Rashmi Perumal said the case was cracked within a week through a detailed investigation. She credited the coordinated efforts of the Dubbaka police, CCS and Task Force teams for tracing the accused and collecting evidence. Rajitha was arrested and sent to judicial remand, while her minor son was sent to a juvenile home, police said.