Kuruganti Apsara murder case

 

The **Kuruganti Apsara murder case** is one of the most disturbing criminal cases reported in Telangana in recent years. The incident came to light in **June 2023**, when **Kuruganti Apsara**, a 30-year-old aspiring television actress from Hyderabad, went missing under mysterious circumstances. What initially appeared to be a routine missing person's case soon unfolded into a meticulously planned murder involving deception, betrayal, and an elaborate attempt to destroy evidence.

According to the police investigation, Apsara became acquainted with **Iyyagari Venkata Sai Krishna**, a temple priest in Hyderabad, through her mother, who regularly visited the temple where he worked. The two developed a close relationship in early 2023. Investigators later revealed that Sai Krishna, despite already being married, allegedly promised to marry Apsara. As their relationship progressed, Apsara reportedly began insisting that he fulfill his promise. Prosecutors stated that she also threatened to expose the relationship if he refused, a development that investigators believe became the motive for the crime.

On **June 3, 2023**, Sai Krishna allegedly asked Apsara to accompany him, claiming that he would drop her near Hyderabad airport for a planned trip to Coimbatore with her friends. Instead, he drove her to an isolated construction site near Shamshabad. According to the prosecution, he attacked her with a heavy stone, causing fatal injuries. After killing her, he placed her body in the boot of his car and drove back to his residence in Saroornagar. Investigators said the body remained in the vehicle for nearly two days while he sprayed room fresheners inside the car to conceal the smell.

The accused then allegedly transported the body to a defunct manhole or unused septic tank located within a government office complex near his residence. To hide the crime, he dumped the body inside the pit, filled it with red soil and sand, and sealed it with cement, making the site appear undisturbed. Police described the concealment as a carefully planned effort to eliminate evidence and delay the discovery of the victim's body.

In an attempt to divert suspicion, Sai Krishna allegedly approached the police himself and filed a missing person's complaint. He falsely introduced Apsara's mother as his sister and claimed that his "niece" had disappeared. However, investigators found several inconsistencies in his statements. CCTV footage, mobile phone location data, witness accounts, and other circumstantial evidence contradicted his version of events. As questioning intensified, police said he eventually confessed to the murder and led officers to the location where Apsara's body had been concealed. The body was recovered after authorities excavated the sealed manhole.

The case proceeded to trial before the Rangareddy District Court. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, forensic findings, recovery of the body, and the accused's actions before and after the crime. In **March 2025**, the court found Sai Krishna guilty of murder and destruction of evidence. He was sentenced to **life imprisonment** and ordered to pay a **₹10 lakh fine**, with most of the compensation directed to Apsara's family. The judgment marked the conclusion of a case that had drawn significant public attention across Telangana and highlighted the consequences of premeditated violence and attempts to conceal serious crimes.

Tamil Nadu Auto Shankar case

 

The **Auto Shankar case** is one of India's most infamous serial murder cases and remains a chilling example of how organized crime, political influence, and police corruption can intersect. Born as **Gowri Shankar** on **January 21, 1954**, in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, he later moved to Chennai in search of a better livelihood. He initially worked as a cycle rickshaw puller before becoming an auto-rickshaw driver, earning the nickname **"Auto Shankar."** Over time, however, he abandoned legitimate work and became deeply involved in bootlegging, prostitution, extortion, and violent crime.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, Chennai's rapidly developing coastal suburbs, particularly **Thiruvanmiyur**, became the center of Shankar's criminal empire. He built a network that controlled illegal liquor smuggling and prostitution. His growing influence was allegedly strengthened by his connections with several influential politicians, businessmen, and corrupt police officials, allowing him to operate with little fear of arrest. Anyone who threatened his business or attempted to expose his activities became a target.

One of the earliest murders linked to Shankar involved **Lalitha**, one of his wives, who left him and began living with his associate **Sudalaimuthu**. Furious over the betrayal, Shankar lured Lalitha back by pretending to reconcile with her. Once she arrived, he murdered her and secretly buried her body beneath a house. A few months later, he similarly tricked Sudalaimuthu into meeting him, intoxicated him, strangled him, burned his body, and disposed of the ashes in the Bay of Bengal to eliminate evidence.

Shankar's violence continued to escalate. In 1988, he invited three rival gang members—**Sampath, Mohan, and Govindaraj**—to his residence under the pretext of settling a dispute. Instead, he and his gang brutally murdered them and buried their bodies. When the victims' families approached the police to report them missing, initial complaints were allegedly ignored, reportedly because of Shankar's political influence and his close links with corrupt officials.

The case finally gained momentum after persistent complaints from the victims' relatives and extensive media coverage. A newspaper report questioning the disappearances attracted the attention of senior police officers, who ordered a special investigation. The inquiry uncovered buried human remains and exposed a series of murders connected to Auto Shankar and his associates. Faced with overwhelming evidence, Shankar eventually confessed to multiple killings, leading investigators to several crime scenes and hidden burial sites.

Even after his arrest, the case continued to make headlines. In **August 1990**, Auto Shankar escaped from **Chennai Central Prison** with the alleged help of prison staff. The dramatic jailbreak embarrassed the authorities and triggered a nationwide manhunt. He was eventually captured in Odisha after several weeks on the run. The escape further highlighted the extent of corruption within the prison system and the influence he had cultivated over the years.

The trial was conducted in the Chengalpattu Sessions Court, where prosecutors presented forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and Shankar's confession. He and two of his close associates, Eldin and Shivaji, were convicted for six murders and sentenced to death in **1991**. After appeals failed, **Auto Shankar was executed by hanging on April 27, 1995, at Salem Central Prison**, bringing an end to one of Tamil Nadu's most notorious criminal careers.

The Auto Shankar case had a lasting impact on India's criminal justice system. It exposed the dangers of political patronage and police corruption, leading to greater scrutiny of law enforcement practices. The case also became significant in Indian legal history through the landmark **Rajagopal v. State of Tamil Nadu (1994)** judgment, popularly known as the **Auto Shankar case**, in which the Supreme Court clarified important principles relating to the **right to privacy** and **freedom of the press**. Decades later, the story continues to be remembered through books, documentaries, films, and the 2019 web series **Auto Shankar**, serving as a reminder of one of India's darkest crime sagas.

Uthra Snake Bite Case

 

The **Uthra Snake Bite Case**, also known as the **Kerala Snakebite Murder Case**, is regarded as one of the most unusual and meticulously planned murder cases in India's criminal history. The incident took place in **Anchal, Kollam district, Kerala**, in 2020 and involved the murder of **Uthra**, a 25-year-old woman, by her husband **Sooraj S. Kumar**, who used venomous snakes as the murder weapon in an attempt to make her death appear accidental.

Uthra married Sooraj, a private bank employee, in 2018. The couple had a young son and, according to investigators, the marriage initially appeared normal. However, police later found evidence suggesting that Sooraj was motivated by financial gain. Uthra had received substantial gold, cash, and other assets as part of the marriage, and investigators alleged that Sooraj wanted to retain these benefits while avoiding the financial consequences of a separation. He also reportedly researched venomous snakes online and learned how to handle them by watching videos before executing his plan.

The first murder attempt took place on **March 2, 2020**, when Sooraj allegedly arranged for a **Russell's viper** to bite Uthra inside their home. Although the bite caused severe injuries and left her bedridden for nearly two months, she survived after extensive medical treatment and plastic surgery. During her recovery, she moved to her parents' house in Anchal, where her family believed she would be safe.

Determined to complete his plan, Sooraj allegedly contacted a snake catcher and purchased a **cobra**. According to the prosecution, he kept the snake in a container and waited for an opportunity. On the night of **May 6, 2020**, investigators alleged that he gave Uthra sleeping tablets so she would remain unconscious. He then released the cobra into the bedroom and forced it to bite her while she slept. Uthra was found unconscious the following morning and was declared dead on **May 7, 2020**. A live cobra was discovered inside the room, initially leading many to believe that her death was a tragic accident.

The investigation took an unexpected turn when police noticed inconsistencies in Sooraj's statements and questioned how Uthra could have suffered two separate venomous snakebites within such a short period. Kerala Police launched an intensive scientific investigation involving forensic experts, wildlife officials, toxicologists, and snake experts. Officers reconstructed the crime using mannequins and examined the snake's behavior, concluding that the bite was unlikely to have occurred naturally. Mobile phone records, internet search history, witness testimony, and evidence linking Sooraj to a snake catcher further strengthened the prosecution's case. The investigation also included forensic examination of the cobra, making it one of India's most scientifically investigated homicide cases.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Sooraj had carefully planned the murder and attempted to disguise it as an accidental snakebite. The court accepted the scientific and circumstantial evidence, finding him guilty of murder, attempted murder, administering poison, and destruction of evidence. On **October 13, 2021**, the Kollam Additional Sessions Court sentenced Sooraj to **double life imprisonment**, along with additional prison terms and fines for the related offences. The court described the crime as exceptionally cruel and premeditated.

The Uthra case attracted nationwide attention because of its rare modus operandi and the extensive use of forensic science in securing a conviction. It is now widely studied in criminology and investigative training as an example of how meticulous forensic analysis can uncover even the most carefully disguised murders.

Rajkhowa Family Murder Case

 

The **Rajkhowa Family Murder Case** is one of the most mysterious and disturbing crimes in Indian legal history. The case came to light in **1970** and involved **Upendra Nath Rajkhowa**, a respected District and Sessions Judge in Assam, who was convicted of murdering his wife and three daughters. The case stunned the nation because the accused was himself a senior judicial officer entrusted with upholding the law. Even decades later, the exact motive behind the murders remains uncertain.

Upendra Nath Rajkhowa was serving as the District and Sessions Judge at **Dhubri, Assam**, when his wife **Putuli Rajkhowa** and their three daughters—**Nirmali (Linu)**, **Jonali (Luna)**, and **Rupali (Bhantu)**—came to stay with him at the official judge's bungalow. In early 1970, court staff noticed unusual activities at the residence. Rajkhowa instructed workers to dig two large pits inside the bungalow compound, claiming they were meant for planting flowers and trees. At the time, no one suspected that these pits would later become crucial pieces of evidence in a murder investigation.

In February 1970, Rajkhowa informed relatives and colleagues that his wife and daughters had left for Delhi or Guwahati. As weeks passed, family members became increasingly suspicious because none of the women contacted their relatives. Their disappearance remained unexplained, and Rajkhowa gave conflicting accounts whenever questioned about their whereabouts. Eventually, his wife's brother began making independent inquiries, which exposed inconsistencies in Rajkhowa's story.

After retiring from service, Rajkhowa left Assam and checked into a hotel in **Siliguri, West Bengal**. Police tracked him down in July 1970. During questioning, he initially claimed that his wife had died after falling from a veranda, that his eldest daughter had died from sleeping pills, and that his two younger daughters had died by suicide after learning of the earlier deaths. Investigators found his explanations inconsistent and unsupported by evidence. Before he could be formally questioned further, Rajkhowa attempted suicide by stabbing himself inside his hotel room but survived after receiving medical treatment.

Following his recovery, investigators intensified their interrogation. The police subsequently searched the official bungalow in Dhubri, where they excavated the two pits that Rajkhowa had ordered months earlier. Human remains were recovered from both locations. According to the prosecution, the bodies of his wife and eldest daughter had been buried in one pit, while the bodies of his two younger daughters had been buried in the other. The discovery confirmed that the family had never left the residence and had instead been secretly buried within the compound.

The case proceeded to trial before the Assam courts. Prosecutors relied on circumstantial evidence, witness testimony from court employees, the recovery of the bodies, and Rajkhowa's contradictory statements. Although a co-accused, Umesh Baishya, was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, the court found Upendra Nath Rajkhowa guilty of murdering all four family members and attempting to conceal the crime by burying their bodies. He was sentenced to death, a verdict later upheld on appeal.

The Rajkhowa Family Murder Case remains one of India's most baffling criminal cases because no clear motive was ever conclusively established. Historians and legal scholars have speculated about possible financial, psychological, or personal reasons, but none were definitively proven in court. The case is remembered not only for its brutality but also because it involved a senior judge becoming the perpetrator of a horrific crime, making it one of the darkest chapters in the history of the Indian judiciary.

Hetal Parekh Murder Case

The **Hetal Parekh murder case** is one of the most controversial criminal cases in India's legal history. The incident occurred on **March 5, 1990**, in **Bhawanipore, Kolkata**, when **Hetal Parekh**, an 18-year-old student of Welland Gouldsmith School, was found murdered inside her family's apartment. The crime shocked the country because of its brutality and eventually led to the execution of **Dhananjoy Chatterjee**, a security guard who maintained his innocence until his death. Even today, the case continues to generate debate over whether justice was fully served.

Hetal belonged to a well-known business family and lived with her parents and elder brother in Anand Apartments. On the day of the incident, she returned home after appearing for her ICSE History examination. Her father had gone to work, and her brother had left the house after lunch. Hetal remained at home with her mother until the latter left for a nearby temple in the evening. When her mother returned around 5:45 p.m., repeated knocks on the apartment door went unanswered. With the help of neighbours and building staff, the door was forced open, and Hetal was found lying in a pool of blood. Doctors declared her dead at the scene. Investigators concluded that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered.

Suspicion quickly fell on **Dhananjoy Chatterjee**, a 27-year-old security guard employed at the apartment complex. According to the prosecution, Hetal had earlier complained that Dhananjoy had harassed her and made inappropriate advances. Her father reportedly informed the security agency, following which Dhananjoy was transferred to another residential complex. Investigators believed he sought revenge and returned to the apartment on the day of the crime, allegedly using the excuse of making a telephone call before attacking Hetal while she was alone. After the murder, he disappeared, strengthening police suspicion.

Police arrested Dhananjoy in May 1990 from his native village in Bankura district. The prosecution's case relied almost entirely on circumstantial evidence, including witness testimony placing him near the apartment, the alleged motive arising from his transfer, and the recovery of a wristwatch said to have been stolen from the Parekh residence. There were no eyewitnesses to the crime, and several key pieces of evidence later became the subject of controversy. Dhananjoy consistently denied committing rape or murder, claiming he had simply returned to his village after completing his employment.

The trial court convicted Dhananjoy of rape, murder, and theft, sentencing him to death. The **Calcutta High Court** and later the **Supreme Court of India** upheld the conviction, describing the crime as falling within the "rarest of rare" category deserving capital punishment. After years of appeals and mercy petitions, the President of India rejected his final plea. On **August 14, 2004**, Dhananjoy Chatterjee was executed by hanging at Alipore Central Jail, becoming the first person executed in India in over a decade.

Despite the conviction, the case remains highly debated. Legal scholars, human rights activists, and some researchers have questioned aspects of the investigation, pointing to the absence of direct evidence, the lack of DNA testing, the non-recovery of the alleged murder weapon, and inconsistencies in witness testimony. Others maintain that the courts thoroughly examined the available evidence before upholding the conviction. These competing views have made the Hetal Parekh case one of India's most discussed criminal cases and a frequent subject of legal and academic analysis on the standards of circumstantial evidence in capital punishment cases.

Nanthancode Family Murder Case

 

The **Nanthancode Family Murder Case** is one of the most horrifying mass murder cases in Kerala's history. The crime took place in **April 2017** at a residence in **Nanthancode**, a quiet and affluent neighborhood in Thiruvananthapuram, located close to the official residence of the Kerala Chief Minister. The accused, **Cadell Jeansen Raja**, brutally murdered four members of his own family—his father, **Prof. Raja Thankam**, his mother, **Dr. Jean Padma**, his sister **Caroline**, and his aunt **Lalitha**. The gruesome nature of the crime and the bizarre explanation initially offered by the accused shocked the entire country.

Cadell belonged to a highly educated and well-respected family. His father was a retired college professor, while his mother was a renowned medical doctor. His sister had also pursued higher education, making the family well known in academic circles. According to investigators, Cadell had studied abroad but failed to complete his education and returned to Kerala. Police later alleged that he had developed deep resentment toward his family, believing they constantly criticized him and compared him unfavorably with other successful family members. Investigators concluded that these long-standing grievances eventually turned into violent hatred.

The murders were committed over two days, **April 5 and 6, 2017**. According to the prosecution, Cadell had carefully planned the killings in advance. Investigators said he purchased a hatchet and other materials, practiced attack techniques, and even rehearsed on dummies before carrying out the crime. One by one, he attacked his father, mother, sister, and aunt with the weapon inside their home. After the murders, he allegedly dismembered some of the bodies and attempted to destroy evidence by setting them on fire inside a bathroom. However, the fire spread beyond his control, partially damaging the house and leaving him with burn injuries.

The crime came to light on **April 9, 2017**, when neighbors noticed smoke coming from the house and alerted the authorities. Firefighters and police entered the residence expecting to deal with a house fire, but instead discovered a horrifying scene. Three charred bodies were found inside the bathroom, while another body was wrapped in bedsheets elsewhere in the house. Investigators also found a half-burnt human dummy that appeared to have been placed deliberately to confuse the investigation. Cadell was missing from the house, immediately making him the prime suspect.

After fleeing Kerala, Cadell traveled to Chennai, where he was arrested by the Railway Police and handed over to the Kerala Police. During questioning, he claimed the killings were connected to **"astral projection,"** a belief that the soul can separate from the physical body. He suggested he had been conducting a spiritual experiment to free his family members' souls. However, investigators rejected this explanation after psychiatric evaluations found him mentally fit to stand trial. Police concluded that the "astral projection" story was an attempt to mislead investigators and create the impression that he was legally insane. Instead, the prosecution argued that the murders were deliberate, calculated, and driven by years of resentment toward his family.

The trial lasted several years and relied on forensic evidence, witness testimony, digital evidence recovered from Cadell's electronic devices, and expert psychiatric assessments. In **May 2025**, the Additional Sessions Court in Thiruvananthapuram found Cadell Jeansen Raja guilty of four counts of murder, destruction of evidence, and arson. The court held that the crime had been meticulously planned and rejected the defense's claims relating to mental illness. He was later sentenced to **life imprisonment**, along with additional prison terms for destroying evidence and setting fire to the house.

The Nanthancode Family Murder Case continues to be remembered as one of Kerala's most disturbing crimes because of its brutality, careful planning, and the unsettling fact that the victims were the accused's own family members. It is frequently discussed in studies of criminal psychology, forensic investigation, and family-related homicide, while also serving as a reminder that prolonged emotional conflict and untreated personal grievances can sometimes culminate in tragic acts of violence.

Surjit Kaur Athwal Murder Case

 

The **Surjit Kaur Athwal murder case** is one of the most disturbing honour killing cases involving the British-Indian community. The murder took place in **December 1998**, when **Surjit Kaur Athwal**, a 27-year-old customs officer at London's Heathrow Airport and mother of two young children, was lured to Punjab, India, under the false promise of attending family weddings and resolving marital disputes. Instead, she became the victim of a meticulously planned honour killing orchestrated by her husband and mother-in-law. The case later became a landmark in British legal history because the perpetrators were convicted even though Surjit's body was never recovered.

Surjit had been married to **Sukhdev Singh Athwal** in an arranged marriage and lived with him in West London. Over time, the relationship became abusive and controlling. According to prosecutors, Surjit had decided to end the marriage and had begun divorce proceedings. Her decision was strongly opposed by her husband's family, who believed that divorce would bring shame upon the family. Prosecutors also stated that Surjit had formed a relationship with another man after separating from her husband, which further intensified the family's anger. Investigators concluded that her desire for independence was viewed by some relatives as a dishonour to the family.

In late 1998, Surjit's mother-in-law, **Bachan Kaur Athwal**, persuaded her to travel to Punjab by claiming the family was finally willing to discuss an amicable divorce during two upcoming weddings. Believing that the trip might help settle the dispute peacefully, Surjit agreed to travel with her mother-in-law. Shortly after arriving in India, she disappeared without a trace. Her family in the United Kingdom repeatedly tried to contact her but received no response. Her husband later claimed that she had abandoned the family voluntarily, but investigators found his explanation suspicious. Her body has never been recovered and is believed to have been disposed of in a river after the killing.

For several years, the case remained unresolved because there was very little direct evidence. The breakthrough came when **Sarbjit Kaur Athwal**, Surjit's sister-in-law, came forward despite fearing for her own safety. She told investigators that, weeks before the trip to India, she had attended a family meeting during which Bachan Kaur allegedly declared that Surjit had brought dishonour to the family and needed to be "got rid of." Sarbjit's courageous testimony became the cornerstone of the prosecution's case and exposed what investigators described as a carefully planned conspiracy.

The Metropolitan Police reopened the investigation under **Detective Chief Inspector Clive Driscoll**, who travelled to India several times to gather evidence and coordinate with local authorities. Detectives uncovered forged documents, inconsistent statements, and financial records that contradicted the family's version of events. Although the absence of Surjit's body made the investigation exceptionally difficult, prosecutors argued that the available circumstantial evidence clearly demonstrated that she had been murdered.

In **2007**, following a lengthy trial at London's **Old Bailey**, both Sukhdev Singh Athwal and Bachan Kaur Athwal were convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court concluded that the killing had been a premeditated honour crime designed to preserve the family's reputation and prevent Surjit from obtaining a divorce. The convictions marked the first successful British prosecution for an honour killing committed overseas without the victim's body being recovered.

The Surjit Kaur Athwal case remains one of the most significant honour killing prosecutions in the United Kingdom. It highlighted the dangers faced by victims of domestic abuse and honour-based violence and demonstrated that determined international investigations and courageous witness testimony can secure justice even in the absence of a body. The case has since become a landmark study in criminal law, cross-border investigations, and efforts to combat honour-based violence.