Befriending and Cyanide Poisoning; Women 'Serial Killers' Of Andhra Pradesh (image@ firstaidcoursesdarwin.com)

Three women, known as the “serial killers” of Tenali, Andhra Pradesh, has murdered four people including three women, said police. Reportedly, they befriended the strangers and offered them drinks that were mixed with cyanide to steal gold, cash, and other valuables.

Police said the victims die shortly after consuming the cyanide laced drinks, and the women would steal their valuables. The arrested women were, Munagappa Rajini (40), Madiyala Venkateshwari (32) and Gontu Ramanamma (60), said Andhra Pradesh police, as reported by media. Venkateshwari used to work as a volunteer in Tenali. Then she travelled to Cambodia, where she was allegedly involved in cybercrime.

The investigation into the matter started when a partially decomposed body of a woman, later identified as Shaik Nagoor Bi, was discovered near a quarry on the outskirts of Vadlamudi village. Initially registered as a case of unknown cause of death, the investigation quickly shifted when the victim’s son, Shaik Tameej, expressed suspicion about his mother’s interactions with Rajani and Venkateswari before her disappearance.

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Reportedly, police tracked down an auto driver named Mahesh based on a tip off. Mahesh confirmed he had transported the victim and the accused to Vadlamudi junction on June 5, 2024. The accused women had hired the auto and purchased wine during the journey, which later played a key role in the murder.

Reportedly, police seized cyanide and other evidences from the women’s possession. A man, who allegedly supplied cyanide to them where also arrested. Tenali police said the women had confessed to the crimes, and had warned people to be wary of befriending strangers. The Tenali community is in shock. The accused were long-time residents of the area.

The mentioning of ‘cyanide’ brings back memories of Kerala’s Koodathai, and the bone chilling murders. Woman named Jolly Joseph murdered six people in 14 years. She killed her mother-in-law first, then father-in-law, and then her husband. She also killed two-year-old daughter of her husband’s cousin, and later the child’s mother was also murdered.

Jolly also murdered Mathew Manjayadil, maternal uncle of her murdered husband Roy. Mathew died after he called for an investigation into Roy’s most-mortem report, and an inquiry into the cause of his death. The murdered came to light after Roy’s brother Rojo Thomas filed a series of RTI applications, and found differences in what Jolly told the family and what is in the post-mortem report, regarding the time when he last consumed food.