Cyberabad police crack Renu Agarwal's murder; 3 held in Ranchi

Hyderabad: Cyberabad police cracked the sensational murder of 50-year-old Renu Agarwal, who was brutally killed with 40 stab wounds at her Swan Lake apartment in Kukatpally.

The breakthrough came through the alertness of a cab driver, supported by technical surveillance.

Three youths from Ranchi — Harsh Kumar (20), Roshan Singh (22), and Raju Varma (19) — were arrested in a late-night operation in Jharkhand on Friday, Commissioner Avinash Mohanty announced on Saturday.

Brutal Killing for Digital Locker password

Balanagar DCP K Suresh Kumar said Harsh and Roshan attacked Renu on September 10 by striking her with a pressure cooker, tying her hands and legs, and slitting her throat. The duo tortured her to extract the password of a digital locker before repeatedly stabbing her.

Shockingly, after the murder, they bathed in her flat, changed into clean clothes, and locked the apartment before escaping. The plan to rob her had been made just two days earlier, on September 8.

Calculated Escape Plan

The escape was carefully mapped. The duo fled on a two-wheeler belonging to Roshan’s employer, abandoned it at Hafeezpet MMTS station, and took a train to Secunderabad. Noticing heightened police checks, they avoided boarding long-distance trains.

Instead, using free Wi-Fi at the station, they contacted Roshan’s cousin Raju Verma in Ranchi.

With money arranged via UPI transfer through Raju’s girlfriend, they booked a cab for the 1,300-km road journey to Ranchi, paying an advance of Rs 15,000

Suspicious cab driver turns whistleblower

The killers might have escaped but for the alertness of the cab driver. Suspicious of their behaviour, he kept their details. After dropping them in Ranchi on September 11, he later saw their photographs in news reports on the Kukatpally murder. He alerted his employer, who informed local police.

This tip-off led to Cyberabad police rushing two special teams to Ranchi. With the help of local authorities, they intercepted the trio on September 13 while they were attempting to flee in a car.

Accused had criminal past

Investigations revealed that Roshan Singh was already facing three criminal cases in Jharkhand. Harsh Kumar, though not formally booked earlier, was a drug addict and had been once detained in an inebriated state.

The third accused, Raju Varma, was arrested for providing shelter to the duo after they reached Ranchi.

Gold, watches recovered

Police seized seven tolas of gold, Renu Agarwal’s flat keys, 16 watches, two mobile phones, and rolled-gold ornaments from the accused. All three were taken into custody and will be produced before court for judicial remand.

Police Appeal to Citizens

Cyberabad Commissioner of Police Avinash Mohanty, praised the swift coordination between Hyderabad and Ranchi police.

He urged households to verify the backgrounds of domestic helps and keep proper records before employment, stressing that negligence could have dangerous consequences.