Inspired by Drishyam film: Man kills mother-in-law for Rs 55L insurance in Telangana; CCTV, forensics, vehicle tracking expose fake crash

HYDERABAD: In a chilling real life twist inspired by the crime thriller Drishyam, a man in Siddipet allegedly murdered his mother-in-law for insurance money and tried to pass it off as a hit-and-run accident-only to be unmasked by CCTV footage and police investigation.The incident occurred on July 7, when police received a Dial 100 call reporting the death of an elderly woman, Ramavva, in a suspected road accident near Peddamasanpally. Initial evidence, including CCTV footage, showed an SUV ramming into the woman as she walked by the roadside. However, the trail began to unravel when investigators traced the vehicle through its registration number-only to discover that it was a rented taxi.

According to Siddipet police commissioner B Anuradha, two men had hired the SUV for a day, and one of them turned out to be Ramavva's son-in-law, T Venkatesh.

Suspicion deepened, and both Venkatesh and his brother Karunakar were taken into custody. During interrogation, the duo confessed that the accident was a staged murder, carefully planned to claim 55 lakh in life insurance payouts.The accused admitted they were influenced by the movie Drishyam, hoping they could replicate a perfect crime.

But unlike the film, real life caught up with them, police said.Ramavva, who owned two acres of land, had been persuaded by the accused to take out two insurance policies under the guise of financial security, police said. They also aimed to claim Rythu Bima, the state insurance scheme for farmers.On the day of the murder, Venkatesh took Ramavva to her field, pretending he needed her signature for a power connection. When no officials 'arrived,' he told her to walk home. As per their plan, Karunakar then ran her over with the SUV. The duo assumed the staged accident would raise no alarms. But CCTV cameras, forensic analysis, and vehicle tracking exposed their lie. Police say further legal proceedings are underway.