Extramarital affairs following a Facebook acquaintance and an attempt to blackmail the woman with her filthy video footage resulted in the death of a 32-year-old man in Hyderabad.

More than a week after the incident, CCTV footage of another Facebook acquaintance of the woman’s and his assistant attacking the victim surfaced.

Advertisement

M. Swetha Reddy (32) has already been arrested for the murder of her lover M. Yashma Kumar.

Andhra Pradesh resident K. Ashok (28) and his helper K. Karthik (30) have also been arrested.

On the night of May 4, CCTV footage shows the victim, who was riding his two-wheeler, being hit with a hammer outside Swetha Reddy’s house in Prashanti Hills, Meerpet police station, Rachakonda police commissioner.

Kumar fainted on the ground, and bystanders rushed him to the hospital, where he died two days later.

The incident was initially investigated as a traffic collision. However, alarming revelations emerged following the autopsy report and further research.

Swetha Reddy, the wife of a software engineer, became friends with Kumar, a photographer who lives in the city’s Bagh Amberpet neighborhood, in 2018. Their bond became closer quickly.

Kumar ordered her to undress during a video call, and when she did, he videotaped it, according to the police investigation. He then threatened to disclose the video recording to her family members unless she married him.

Kumar was also blackmailing the woman by riding his bike near her residence. Shweta Reddy, alarmed by his threats, contacted another Facebook buddy, Vijayawada-based Ashok. When Ashoka and his aide Kartik arrived in Hyderabad, the three devised a plan to assassinate Kumar.

On May 4, the woman summoned Kumar to her home as planned. When he got close to the house, Ashok and Kartik, who had been waiting for him, attacked him. With a hammer, they struck him in the head. He passed out and slid into a coma.

After analyzing Kumar’s call data, police were able to solve the murder case. They questioned her because Shweta Reddy had made the last call on her phone, and she eventually confessed to the crime.

She also informed the cops that after calling Kumar, she changed her mind and sent Ashok and Kartik a message telling them to leave him. However, by that time, the conspiracy had been carried out.
(with inputs from IANS)