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Police say that the accused used technology to avoid detection. Soon after the murder, Nepali-origin Kalpana and her gang reportedly threw away their old mobile phones to prevent tracking.
According to reports, Kalpana, who is believed to be of Nepali origin, was working as a maid at the residence of the retired IPS officer for about eight months.
A murder in the high-security Jubilee Hills area of ​​Hyderabad has sparked widespread concern across the Telugu states. The police investigation into the murder of 62-year-old Tanuja, wife of 1986 batch IPS officer Vinay Ranjan Ray, who retired as Director General of Prisons in 2019, has revealed a targeted robbery network run by the family’s domestic help.
According to investigators, the main accused identified as Kalpana was not just an ordinary domestic help but was allegedly part of a well-planned robbery gang that had a history of targeting rich houses in several cities.
Domestic servant allegedly planned the robbery for months
According to reports, Kalpana, who is believed to be of Nepali origin, was working at the retired IPS officer’s residence for about eight months. During this period, he reportedly gained the trust of the family while secretly planning a major robbery.
Police suspect that she was in constant touch with a Pune-based associate named Suresh and allegedly received instructions from him on a regular basis. Investigators believe that the gang started actively planning the operation after Vinay Ranjan Ray moved to Bengaluru for work.
Soon after, three more gang members reportedly reached Hyderabad from Pune. Police say the group conducted surveillance around the house for about five days and carefully studied CCTV blind spots and possible escape routes before committing the crime.
according to a times of India In the report, Suresh said that CCTV footage captured three unidentified people entering the bungalow from the main gate at around 1 am. They came out of the gate between 2 am and 2.30 am. He further said that they were not wearing masks and two of them had iron rods and one had a bag.
Midnight murder and planned escape
According to the investigation, the gang allegedly murdered Tanuja late Thursday night before fleeing the house with gold jewellery, cash and other valuables.
Police say the accused adopted a carefully planned escape strategy to avoid immediate arrest. The suspects first traveled by auto-rickshaw to Nampally railway station and boarded the Telangana Express train.
The investigators initially suspected that the gang was heading towards Nagpur and they increased surveillance there. However, Kalpana reportedly changed course midway to avoid tracking and got down at Kazipet railway station. Police now suspect that the accused might have fled towards Mumbai or Delhi via bus route.
How fake identities helped gangs escape police
Investigators say the accused used technology cleverly to avoid detection. Soon after the murder, the gang reportedly discarded their old mobile phones and bought new mobile phones and SIM cards to prevent police tracking.
Police sources claim that Kalpana constantly changed routes and methods of communication to avoid entering the surveillance network. Authorities have currently detained his parents and brother-in-law in Pune for questioning.
Preliminary investigation reportedly indicates that Kalpana’s prior criminal background may be linked to similar robbery cases.
Multi-city crime network under investigation
Police believe that the gang may have carried out similar thefts in Bengaluru earlier also. Investigators suspect that the accused had used fake Aadhaar and voter ID cards to secure jobs as domestic servants before targeting homes for robbery.
Following the Hyderabad massacre, details of the accused have now been shared with police teams in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune as part of a wider investigation into the gang’s activities.
Police verification again in focus
This sensational case has once again raised concerns over police verification of domestic workers and support staff in high-profile residential areas.
Officials say the incident highlights how important background checks have become, especially in cities where many families hire workers through informal networks without proper identity verification.
Police have urged Hyderabad residents to thoroughly verify the background and identity documents of domestic workers before hiring them.
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