Knives, chainsaw and petrol: Police reveal horrific details of how a Hyderabad techie planned the murder of pregnant ex-wife

A pregnant woman’s murder that stunned the city was not a sudden act of rage but a planned attack carried out after weeks of preparation, investigators said on Thursday. The accused, Devarakonda Mahesh, was arrested and remanded in judicial custody after police said he tracked his ex-wife Sunitha’s movements, bought weapons and travelled to her house with the intent to kill her. Sunitha was three months pregnant at the time of the attack.

Weeks of planning behind the crime

Investigators said Mahesh had been planning the crime for several weeks. He allegedly monitored Sunitha’s routine through social media, identified her residence and arranged the tools he believed he would need to execute the attack.

"Mahesh, after tracking her movements through social media, traced her residence. The accused expected that Sunitha and her husband would be at home and might lock themselves inside on seeing him. To deal with that situation and break open the door, he brought a chainsaw," Vanasthalipuram police said, adding that about a week earlier, the accused had purchased knives, chainsaw and petrol as part of the alleged conspiracy.

From Canada return to alleged conspiracy

Police said Mahesh had returned to India from Canada and initially stayed in Miyapur for a few months before shifting again.

"After returning to India from Canada, he stayed in a house at Miyapur for a few months. Two months ago, he moved to Turkayamjal with the intention of killing Sunitha," police added.

Investigators also said the accused believed his mother’s death was caused by the mental distress linked to his estranged wife, which further fuelled his anger.

Attack driven by past disputes

Police said Mahesh allegedly killed Sunitha on Wednesday afternoon, driven by resentment over their divorce and her remarriage. Sunitha had earlier filed a criminal case against him accusing him of domestic violence. Following that case, police had seized his passport, which stopped him from returning to Canada for more than a year.

The accused was produced before a court on Thursday and sent to judicial custody as the investigation continues into one of the city’s most disturbing crimes in recent times.

(Inputs from TOI)