Double murder accused dies after consuming acid in police lock-up

Hyderabad: A woman accused of orchestrating two murders to escape mounting debt has died after allegedly consuming toilet-cleaning acid inside a police station lock-up in Vikarabad.

Kareema Bi, the prime accused in two murder cases, succumbed at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Wednesday night, nearly four weeks after she reportedly consumed the acid while in custody at Karankote police station on May 17. Two constables who were on guard duty at the time of the incident had already been suspended by Vikarabad police.

After Kareema’s death, police initiated proceedings under section 196 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which deals with custodial deaths. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered into the alleged custodial death, police said.

Kareema, a resident of Yalal, was arrested along with her husband Rehman, a labourer, and their associate Nayeem, a watchman from Moinabad, on May 16 for allegedly murdering Mahbubi, 65, of Kokat village in Yalal mandal, and Abeda Begum, 60, of Khasimpur in Basheerabad mandal. The two women were killed in separate incidents in March and May this year.

According to police, Kareema had borrowed around ₹70,000 from Mahbubi and ₹80,000 from Abeda about a year ago. With compounded interest, the amount she allegedly owed had risen to nearly ₹3 lakh. Unable to repay the debt, the accused allegedly plotted to eliminate the lenders.

As part of the plan, Mahbubi was lured to the Tolkatta forest area in Rangareddy’s Moinabad mandal on March 27 on the pretext of settling the dues.

“In the forest area, the accused smothered her to death and buried the body in the same place. In the same manner, they killed Abeda on May 9, about a kilometre away in the same forest area,” Tandur deputy SP N Yadaiah said.

While probing the missing persons cases registered at Yalal and Basheerabad police stations, investigators established the involvement of the trio and arrested them on May 16.

In the early hours of May 17, Kareema, who was lodged in the lock-up at Karankote police station, allegedly went to the women’s toilet and consumed toilet-cleaning acid. She was initially shifted for treatment and later admitted to NIMS, where she died.

Following the Kareema incident, Karankote police registered a case under section 226 (attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain the exercise of lawful power) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Vikarabad district SP Sneha Mehra had suspended Yalal police station constable Basawarajulu and Basheerabad police station constable Sunitha for dereliction of duty.