HYDERABAD: The murder of four members of a family in Telangana’s Nalgonda district earlier this week was allegedly orchestrated by a close relative, who police said meticulously planned the killings after watching online videos.Four people, including the prime accused, have been arrested in connection with the alleged murders, which police said were motivated by robbery, theft of gold ornaments, and a desire for revenge.According to news agency PTI, the crime came to light on June 22 after neighbours alerted police about a foul smell emanating from the victims’ house in Nalgonda.According to a police release, the prime accused, Syed Aslam, a Hyderabad-based car driver, was struggling with mounting debts and financial problems, which investigators attributed to his lavish lifestyle and multiple loans.Police said Aslam had previously borrowed Rs 1 lakh from his wife’s aunt, Haseena. Haseena, who was married for the third time, lived with her husband and his children from a previous marriage.Police said Aslam had recently approached Haseena for another loan of Rs 1 lakh to purchase a new car. However, she allegedly refused his request and taunted him for failing to pay interest on the money he had borrowed earlier.Investigators also said Aslam’s wife, Tabassum, harboured a grudge against Haseena, as Haseena’s first husband had previously filed a police complaint against Tabassum’s mother. Tabassum had allegedly encouraged her husband to target Haseena’s house for theft. Driven by financial motives and personal animosity from Haseena’s house, Aslam had watched videos online on how to committ the crime.According to police, Aslam allegedly executed the plan in the early hours of June 19 by fatally stabbing Haseena at her home. He then allegedly attacked and killed her husband and his two children, aged 20 and 12.Police said the 12-year-old girl had tried to hide under a cot, but Aslam allegedly killed her to eliminate any potential witness.Investigators said he then fled with gold ornaments, land documents and bank-related papers from the house. With the help of a friend, he allegedly pledged the stolen jewellery to a Hyderabad-based jeweller for Rs 5.30 lakh.Police said Aslam, his wife, the friend who allegedly helped him mortgage the stolen valuables, and the jeweller who accepted them as collateral have all been arrested in connection with the case.(With agency inputs)
