Neighbour arrested for suspected murder of four-year-old girl in Kadapa

The Pulivendula police arrested a woman on charges of drowning a four-year-old girl in a water drum in Lopanuthala village, Lingala Mandal, in Kadapa district.

The deceased was identified as Nithvika, who was found inside a water drum near her house around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday (June 26, 2026). While the incident was initially believed to be a case of accidental death, the police discovered crucial evidence during their review of CCTV footage, which led them to change the investigation to a case of suspected murder.

According to police sources, the CCTV footage showed Nithvika walking with Swathi, a neighbour and a former friend of the victim’s mother, Srujana, toward the water drum. The investigation revealed that Srujana and Swathi had filed police complaints against each other in the past. Officials took Swathi into custody on grounds of suspicion.