NALGONDA: A 48-year-old private school principal was found murdered at her residence in Kondamallepally town of Nalgonda district, police said on Thursday, launching an inquiry into the circumstances and possible motive for the killing.
Victim identified, discovery of the body
The deceased has been identified as Kallu Roopa Reddy, principal and director of Nagarjuna Public School in Kondamallepally. Her body was discovered at the couple's rented home in JB Colony on Wednesday morning after neighbours and family members were unable to contact her, officials said.
Roopa Reddy lived at the house with her husband, Rajender Reddy. The couple also own a house in Hyderabad where their son, Abhinav Reddy, is studying engineering.
Sequence of events as per police
Police said preliminary enquiries indicate Roopa Reddy had travelled to Hyderabad with her husband during a recent three-day holiday. While Rajender remained in Hyderabad on work, she returned alone to Kondamallepally on Tuesday.
On Tuesday she attended school and was at the institution until about 6:30 pm, after which she returned home. The murder was discovered the following morning when Rajender was unable to reach her by phone. After her phone was found switched off, he asked tenants in the building to check on her. Repeated attempts to contact her failed and the tenants informed Rajender, who then sought help from a nearby police officer.
Chintapalli Sub-Inspector Ramamurthy, who lives near the couple's residence, accompanied neighbours to the house and found Roopa lying dead inside, police said.
Nature of injuries and preliminary forensic steps
Police described the injuries as multiple stab wounds; some reports put the number of wounds at 27. Crime teams reached the scene, inspected the premises and began collecting forensic evidence. Investigators are examining telephone call detail records, available CCTV footage and other material to establish the sequence of events and identify the assailant.
“We are investigating all possible angles, including the motive and the identity of the person responsible. The circumstances surrounding the murder are being examined and further details will be known after the investigation,” police said.
Investigation priorities
- Forensic examination of the crime scene and collection of physical evidence.
- Analysis of CCTV footage from the vicinity and the school premises.
- Scrutiny of call detail records to trace Roopa Reddy’s movements and communications before her death.
- Interviews with family members, school staff, tenants and neighbours to establish timelines and possible motives.
Local impact and context
The killing has shocked residents of Kondamallepally, a mandal headquarters where the school is a local landmark. School staff and district education officials will be key to the probe as investigators seek to determine whether the attack was targeted and whether the perpetrator was known to the victim.
Authorities have not yet disclosed a motive or named any suspects. Police reiterated that further details will be released as the investigation progresses and urged anyone with relevant information to come forward.
Timeline (as reported)
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| During recent three-day holiday | Roopa Reddy and husband travelled to Hyderabad |
| Tuesday evening | Roopa returned alone to Kondamallepally; attended school till ~6:30 pm |
| Wednesday morning | Husband unable to contact her; tenants and Sub-Inspector checked house and found body |
Investigations in such cases typically include medical post-mortem, ballistic or sharp-object analysis where relevant, and rapid examination of digital records; police confirmed teams were following these lines of inquiry.
What police have asked residents
As the probe continues, the Nalgonda police have asked anyone who noticed suspicious persons or vehicles in JB Colony, around the school or the victim’s house on Tuesday night, or who has relevant CCTV footage, to contact the investigating officers. The identity of the person or persons responsible remains under investigation.
Further updates are expected as forensic reports and analysis of phone and camera records are completed.
Reporting from Nalgonda.
