Family Fight Explodes in Telangana – Cousin Chopped to Death, Body Dumped Into Lake

A man who filed a missing complaint about his cousin has been arrested for her murder in Abdullapurmet. Police say the killing stemmed from a property dispute, with her body later found in a water outlet.

A shocking case has emerged in Abdullapurmet where a man who lodged a missing complaint about his cousin has now been arrested for her murder. The victim, a 42‑year‑old grocery store owner, was killed and her body dismembered before being dumped in a water body at Masjidpur village.

Police recovered the remains on Tuesday and arrested the accused, Pappuram Kumavath, along with two aides the following day. On March 8, Pappuram had filed a complaint claiming his cousin, Leela Devi, had been missing since February 28. However, investigators soon suspected foul play after noticing inconsistencies in his statements.

Property Dispute Behind The Crime

Upon further questioning and with technical evidence, Pappuram confessed to conspiring and killing his cousin over a land dispute. Years earlier, both had pooled money to buy a 120‑square‑yard plot, but the property was registered solely in Pappuram’s name. When Leela Devi insisted on being added as a joint owner, tensions escalated, leading to the crime.

According to police, Pappuram, who worked at her grocery store, roped in two others. Rakesh, another employee unhappy with her strict management, and Sunil, an eatery owner with strained ties to the woman, joined the plan. On February 28, Pappuram allegedly struck her on the head with a stick, killing her.

Two days later, the trio moved her body to Pedda Cheruvu. There, they used a chainsaw to cut it into pieces before dumping the remains at the water outlet, expecting them to wash away. Instead, the decomposed body parts were later recovered by police.

Inspector V. Ashok Reddy confirmed the motive was rooted in the property dispute and that all three accused have been taken into custody.