The Pendurthi police in Visakhapatnam city on Saturday (November 8) arrested a 30-year-old woman for allegedly killing her mother-in-law by setting her ablaze at her apartment at Appannapalem near Vepagunta in Pendurthi on Friday night.
The accused was identified as Jayanthi Lalita Devi, a resident at Varshini Apartments, and the deceased was identified as Jayanthi Kanaka Mahalakshmi (63).
Pendurthi Circle Inspector K.V. Satish Kumar said Lalitha Devi and husband Jayanthi Subrahmanyam, a local priest, have been married for 16 years and have two children. The couple and children lived with Kanaka Mahalakshmi, aunt Akella Chayadevi and nephew S. Sarath at the apartment.
The accused had searched the Internet for methods to commit murder and used the information to plan the crime. Around 8.45 p.m. on Friday, when Subrahmayam was not at home, she asked her eight-year-old daughter to play a ‘police and thief’ game with her grandmother.
As part of the game, they blindfolded Kanaka Mahalakshmi, made her sit on a chair and tied her legs and hands with a nylon rope. Lalita Devi then doused her with petrol purchased from a nearby fuel station and set her on fire. She then opened the door of the apartment and began to scream for help. She told the neighbours who rushed in that her mother-in-law caught fire following an electrical malfunction near the TV.
Despite the neighbours’ efforts to put out the fire, the elderly woman succumbed to her burns, according to the police. The child, who sustained burns in the incident, was admitted to a private hospital in Venkojipalem.
During the investigation, the accused reportedly confessed to have committed the crime. The police, quoting Subrahmanyam, said that Kanaka Mahalakshmi used to harass Lalita Devi.
Based on a complaint by Subrahmanyam, the Pendurthi police registered a case under BNS Section 103 and arrested the woman; she has been remanded.
Published – November 08, 2025 09:14 pm IST
