Son, friend arrested for mother’s murder in Rajam

Visakhapatnam: Rajam police solved the murder of a woman by arresting the woman’s son and his friend, both minor boys.A 34-year-old woman, M Spandana, was found dead under suspicious circumstances, and her 16-year-old son went missing at Dolapeta in Rajam of Vizianagaram district in the first week of May.Police and locals said Spandana’s husband, Rajesh, was an employee with a private educational institution in Rajam. Spandana visited her sister’s home at Rajam on Monday and invited her family to the local deity festival at her husband’s hometown, Metavalasa, under Bobbili mandal. She returned to her home and later she was found dead in a lake on May 4.On the day of the incident, the victim’s son and another person from Marutinagar went missing, prompting suspicion. After an intensive investigation, police traced the duo using CCTV footage and technical evidence and arrested them in Tirupati.The police said the teenager was allegedly upset over the strict discipline imposed by his mother. Police said she had become more restrictive after learning that her son had written a love letter to a girl studying at his school.During this period, the boy reportedly became friends with an intermediate student he met at a cricket ground. Investigators said the two frequently discussed their personal and family issues.

According to police, the class 10 student allegedly expressed his intention to kill his mother, while the other youth encouraged him and suggested they run away together.Police said the accused planned the murder and hid inside the house when no one else was present. As soon as the woman entered the room, they allegedly attacked her and strangled her. Believing she was still alive after noticing body movements, they later stabbed her with knives found in the house, police said.After the murder, the duo allegedly stole around five tolas of gold ornaments, cash and a mobile phone before fleeing. The body was reportedly dumped near a pond behind the house. Police recovered the stolen gold ornaments from the accused.