The investigation into the murders of four family members in Nalgonda has peeled back a story of old grudges, unpaid debts, and a family connection that turned lethal. Police say the crime, which left the community in Telangana Colony shaken, was not random. It was planned, and it involved people the victims knew.
The bodies were found on June 22. Neighbors had reported a foul smell coming from a locked house.
Inside, police discovered the decomposed remains of Mohammed Sultan, his wife Haseena, their 20-year-old son Muzammil, and 12-year-old daughter Afkura. The arrests came days later, on Thursday, near the Narkatpally flyover. Seven special teams, overseen by DSP K.
Sivaram Reddy, had been working the case. They used CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and technical surveillance to track down the suspects.
Four people are now in custody. Among them is Tabassum, 28. She is the niece of one of the victims.
Her husband, Syed Aslam, 28, is the man police say carried out the killings. Aslam works as a taxi driver. The other two accused are Mohammed Sohail, 26, an auto-rickshaw driver and car mechanic, and Hemanth Kumar, 28, who runs a jewellery shop in Saroornagar.
Police allege Sohail and Kumar conspired in the crime and helped dispose of stolen gold. The motive, according to Nalgonda Superintendent of Police Sharat Chandra Pawar, was a mix of personal grudge and theft.
Cash and gold jewellery were taken from the house. But the roots of the violence go deeper. Around a year ago, Aslam had borrowed money from Haseena.
He was struggling with mounting debts, police said, after adopting a lavish lifestyle. He later asked for another loan, this time to buy a new car.
Haseena refused. She demanded repayment of the earlier loan instead. That refusal appears to have been a breaking point.
But it was not the only source of tension. Investigators found that long-standing family disputes were also in play. One grudge dates back to 2013, tied to a criminal case involving Tabassum’s mother.
Police did not provide further details on that case, but it was enough to fuel resentment that lingered for more than a decade. The accused are now facing charges of murder and conspiracy.
The investigation continues. For the residents of Telangana Colony, the crime has left a mark. Four people are dead.
The people accused of killing them include family. The house where the bodies were found has become a place people avoid.
The case is a reminder of how quickly old debts and old anger can turn into something worse. Police have not said whether any of the stolen property has been recovered. The jewellery shop owner among the accused may offer answers on that front.
What is clear is that the crime was not impulsive. It was fed by money problems and family history. Aslam borrowed, spent, and could not repay.
When he asked for more, he was turned down. The response, police allege, was murder.
The niece of the victim was involved. The auto mechanic and the jeweller were involved. Seven police teams were needed to untangle it all.
The case has moved from a locked house with a foul smell to a courtroom, but the questions it raises about trust and debt in close relationships are not going away.
