Man held for butchering pregnant wife in city

Hyderabad:The Rachakonda police solved the gruesome Medipally murder case and arrested a man who brutally murdered his 21-year-old pregnant wife and chopped her body into pieces with a blade before throwing it in River Musi at Pratap Singaram village.

Police arrested Samala Mahender Reddy (27) from East Balaji Hills, Boduppal and a native of Vikarabad district, who worked as a Rapido rider. Mahender married to B Swathi in January last year at Arya Samaj in Kukatpally.

PV Padmaja, DCP, Malkajgiri said that after marriage, they shifted to Hyderabad and resided at Boduppal. They lived happily for about one month, thereafter frequent quarrels arose between them due to family disputes. On April 22, 2024, the deceased lodged a complaint at WPS Vikarabad, and a case U/s 498-A IPC and Sec. 4 of DP Act was registered. Subsequently, village elders held panchayats, and the matter was compromised.

Since then, the couple started residing in a rented house at Boduppal. The deceased worked for three months at Ebex Call Centre, Punjagutta. However, due to suspicion over her movements, Mahender stopped her from continuing her job. “In March 2025, Swati conceived and was five months pregnant. On August 22, Swati informed Mahender that she would go to Vikarabad on August 27 for medical check-up and thereafter stay at her parents’ house. Mahender did not agree and a quarrel ensued. On the same day, Mahender decided to eliminate her,” said Padmaja. The DCP said that as per his plan, Mahender purchased a blade at Boduppal, kept it in the house, and waited for a chance. On August 23 at about 4:30 pm, Mahender murdered Swati by throttling her. “In order to conceal the evidence, he chopped the body into pieces, disposed of the head, hands, and legs by throwing them into the Musi River at Pratap Singaram, and retained the headless and legless trunk in his room,” revealed DCP Padmaja.