In a deeply disturbing incident, a 50-year-old woman was found murdered in her apartment located in the Swan Lake gated community in Kukatpally, Hyderabad. The murder, which took place on Wednesday, has sent shockwaves through the city, especially given the high-security premises in which the crime occurred.
The victim, identified as Renu Agarwal, lived with her husband Rakesh Agarwal and their 26-year-old son on the 13th floor of the upscale condominium. Both father and son had left for work at around 10 pm, leaving Renu alone at home. The family runs a steel business in the city.
According to police sources, the crime occurred in the afternoon when two domestic workers—Harsha and Roushan—entered the flat. Around 4 pm, the assailants tied Renu’s hands and feet and assaulted her brutally, using a pressure cooker as a weapon. They then fatally stabbed her with a knife and scissors, inflicting multiple wounds.
Investigators revealed that Harsha, one of the accused, was recently hired—just 10 days ago—through a manpower agency based in Kolkata. A native of Jharkhand, he had been working at the Agarwal residence. The second suspect, Roushan, also from Jharkhand, was employed in the neighboring flat on the 14th floor.
When did the Crime Come to Light?
The crime came to light when Rakesh Agarwal and his son were unable to reach Renu over the phone throughout the afternoon. Alarmed, they returned home early. Since the front door was locked, they entered with the help of a plumber through the balcony and discovered Renu’s lifeless body in the hall.
What has shocked investigators even more is the behaviour of the accused after the crime. The two men allegedly bathed in the flat after the murder, possibly to eliminate forensic evidence. They changed into clean clothes, leaving behind the blood-stained ones, and then fled the building.
Police believe the accused looted around 40 grams (4 tolas) of gold ornaments and Rs 1 lakh in cash from the apartment. “The almirah was not opened. Prima facie, it appears they stole about four tola gold ornaments and up to Rs 1 lakh cash,” said a senior police officer.
CCTV footage shows both men entering the building and heading to the 13th floor in the afternoon. They were later seen at 5:02 pm exiting the premises using the lift. The duo escaped on a two-wheeler that belonged to Roushan’s employer. Law enforcement believes they may be fleeing toward Ranchi, and special teams have been dispatched to apprehend them.
Police: Jharkhand Worker Suspected in Murder
“Yesterday evening, the Kukatpally police received information about a 50-year-old woman being murdered. Our inspector and team reached the spot and found the woman dead with stabbing injuries,” a police official said while speaking to ANI. “We suspect that a house help who came from Jharkhand may be involved, along with another person,” the official added.
A murder case under Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered at the Kukatpally Police Station. Forensic teams, along with fingerprint experts and a dog squad, were deployed to collect evidence from the scene.
Senior police officials, including DCP (Balanagar) K Suresh, ACP Ravi Kiran Reddy, and Inspector Venkata Subbarao, visited the crime spot. Meanwhile, investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and gathering witness testimonies to piece together the full sequence of events.
Renu Agarwal’s body was taken into custody for post-mortem examination, as the investigation continues. Authorities are also checking if the suspects have any prior criminal records.
The brutal killing has sparked fear and concern among residents of the Swan Lake gated community, who are now demanding stricter background checks and better security protocols for domestic staff.
