Hyderabad’s Most Wanted Serial Killer Nabbed, Had Murdered 18 Women As Revenge After Wife Left Him

After Ramulu's wife ran away with another man within a short period, he bore a grudge against women since then.

Hyderabad: In a major breakthrough, a 45-year-old man, who was allegedly involved in 18 cases of murder of women, besides other offences, was arrested in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Maina Ramulu, one of the most wanted serial killers, apparently only targeted women after his wife eloped with another person. A resident of Borabanda in Hyderabad, Ramulu, a labourer, was arrested in a joint operation by Hyderabad and Rachakonda police while investigating the cases of two missing women, who were later found murdered.

Ramulu has been previously arrested in 21 cases out of which 16 were murder for gain cases, four were property cases and one was a case of escaping from police custody. He was a life convict and was later released after an appeal in the Telangana High Court.

On December 10, 2020, the accused went to Bala Nagar (Cyberabad) toddy compound and trapped one unknown woman aged between 35 to 45 years. He convinced her to consume liquor with him and offered to pay a huge amount for sexual favours. Both consumed liquor after which the accused brutally murdered her by strangulating with her saree and committed theft of silver items from the deceased and escaped from the scene.

On December 30, 2020 he trapped another woman, Kavala Venkatamma (50) from Yousufguda Toddy compound in the Jubilee Hills police station limits and took her to an isolated area in the limits of Ankushapur village under Ghatkesar police station limits. After consuming liquor, he brutally murdered her with a boulder and sped away with her valuable property,  as per the police.

How was he apprehended?

The issue came to light when the families of the missing two women filed a police complaint and based on the complaints, 500 CCTV footages were scanned, and the accused was traced out.

Anjani Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City told reporters, “On January 1, 2021, the complainant Kavala Anathaiah, resident of Hyderabad came to Jubilee Hills Police and lodged a complaint regarding his wife Kavala Venkatamma (50) found missing since December 30, 2020 at 8 am. The Task Force, North Zone team, Hyderabad City Police started working to trace the missing women. Later on January 4, 2021 the dead body of Venkatamma was found near railway track of Ankushapur village, in the limits of Ghatkesar Police station.”

What was his motive?

After Ramulu’s wife ran away with another man within a short period, he bore a grudge against women since then, the police said. He started his criminal activity in 2003, targeting single women by offering them money for sexual favours. He would kill his victims after consuming liquor or toddy with them and then flee after stealing their valuables, police added.

The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Ranga Reddy District sentenced the accused Ramulu to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 500 on February 21, 2011.

(With PTI and ANI inputs)