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Hyderabad: A horrific case of alleged infanticide has been found to be a mother's alleged calculated act to eliminate obstacles to her extramarital affair. Police have arrested the mother, Rajitha, and her lover, Suru Shiva Kumar, in connection with the murders.
Sangareddy District Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj told reporters on Wednesday that Rajitha, also known as Lavanya, was married to Avurichintala Chennayya in 2013 while she was still in her second year of intermediate studies.
Chennayya was 20 years her senior. The couple had three children, A. Sai Krishna, 12, Madhupriya, 10, and Gautam, 8. Originally from Medakpalli village in Talakondapalli Mandal, Rangareddy district, the family had been residing in Raghavendra Colony, Biranguda, Ameenpur village for the past three years. Chennayya worked as a water tanker driver while Rajitha taught at a private school.
Approximately six months ago, while planning a reunion with her 10th-grade classmates, Rajitha reconnected with her former classmate Shiva. Their relationship quickly intensified through daily communication via chats, calls, and video calls, along with occasional in-person meetings.
The significant age difference between Rajitha and Chennayya had been a source of discord since the beginning of their marriage, resulting in frequent arguments. After reconnecting with Shiva, Rajitha reportedly felt happier and developed aspirations to marry him. When she proposed marriage to unmarried Shiva, he reportedly said that he would only marry her if she were single and childless. This condition led Rajitha to the devastating decision to allegedly eliminate her children.
On March 27, 2025, around 6 pm, Rajitha informed Shiva of her alleged intention to kill her children. According to the SP, Shiva encouraged her to execute the plan promptly. That night, after her husband finished dinner and departed for Chandanagar with his tanker around 10 pm, Rajitha allegedly seized the opportunity.
She allegedly murdered her children, beginning with her eldest son Sai Krishna, followed by her daughter Madhupriya, and finally her youngest son Gautam. The method allegedly in each case was the same, placing a towel over the child's nose and mouth and applying pressure until suffocation occurred.
The investigation concluded that Rajitha and Shiva had conspired to remove the children as obstacles to their relationship, with Shiva encouraging Rajitha's actions. The SP confirmed that both accused have been taken into custody and will be remanded.