T'gana horror: Man accused in POCSO case kills wife

A shocking multiple murder case has rocked Telangana's Ranga Reddy district, where a 35-year-old man allegedly killed his wife and two young sons before targeting a teenage girl who had earlier filed a sexual harassment case against him, along with two of her family members.

Police have launched a massive search operation to trace the accused, who remains absconding.

According to investigators, the accused, identified as Rajkumar, allegedly began the killing spree on Friday night by attacking his wife, 30-year-old Parvathi Saritha, and their two sons, aged four years and one year, at their residence in Shabad.

Police said that after the murders, Rajkumar allegedly drove to the residence of a 17-year-old girl who had filed a complaint against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in May this year. Investigators believe he forcibly took the teenager in his car to a secluded location, where she was allegedly murdered.

According to NDTV, the accused is also alleged to have killed the girl's 45-year-old mother and her 65-year-old maternal grandmother at their home. The teenager's 20-year-old sister, who is a person with disabilities, was present during the incident but was reportedly left unharmed.

Senior police officials said Rajkumar later contacted his father over the phone and allegedly confessed to the killings before switching off his mobile phone. He also reportedly indicated that he intended to end his own life, though police said there is no confirmation of this claim.

Multiple police teams have been formed to trace the accused, and officials said several leads are being pursued.

Police said Rajkumar and Parvathi had a love marriage in 2018 and later settled in Shabad and Devalaguda. The couple had three children, though their eldest daughter had died during infancy.

Investigators revealed that Rajkumar was arrested in May after the teenage girl accused him of stalking and sexually harassing her. According to police, he allegedly followed the girl from her coaching institute to her residence and repeatedly pressured her to accept his proposal. He later obtained anticipatory bail after the court noted that the offences invoked carried a punishment of less than seven years.

Police also said the accused had a history of behavioural problems. Family members reportedly informed investigators that he had struggled with mental health issues, had developed a gambling habit, and was burdened with financial debts.

Relatives who reached Rajkumar's residence after the incident claimed the two children appeared to have been killed while they were asleep, while signs of a violent struggle were visible in the room where Parvathi's body was found. They also stated that the doors were locked from inside and that the fan, air-conditioner and cooler had been left running.

Forensic experts have examined all the crime scenes, and investigators are reconstructing the sequence of events while working to establish the precise motive behind the brutal killings. Further investigation is underway.