Realtor shoots estranged wife dead months after arrest in murder plot

Hyderabad: A real estate businessman who had allegedly plotted for months to kill his estranged second wife shot her dead at his Malkajgiri residence in the early hours of Wednesday — barely three months after police caught him with an illegal firearm that investigators say he had procured to carry out the murder.

D Arun Kumar, 48, a realtor from Maruti Nagar in Malkajgiri, had earlier been arrested in March for possessing a country-made pistol allegedly intended to eliminate his wife, Nisha Rani alias Nishita Rani, 38. Despite spending over 40 days in judicial remand, he was out on bail when the killing took place.

According to investigators, Arun contacted Rani late on Tuesday night and asked her to come to his house to discuss family issues. During the meeting, he allegedly opened fire at close range around 5 am on Wednesday.

“Arun fired three rounds at Rani. Two bullets hit her in the head and one round missed the target. She died on the spot. We recovered three bullet casings from the scene. Arun’s mother, Lakshmamma, heard Rani calling her. She also heard a loud noise and when Lakshmamma went there, Rani was lying dead on the floor,” Malkajgiri ACP V Yadagiri Reddy said.

Arun fled after the shooting and remained absconding. Police formed three special teams to trace and arrest him. “We do not know if anyone else was involved. Once we arrest Arun, we will know the exact motive for the murder,” the ACP said.

Rani’s body was shifted for post-mortem examination, and a case was registered under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Arms Act.

Arun, who has two children with his first wife, had married Rani — the younger sister of his first wife — five years ago after separating from his ailing spouse. Police said the marriage later turned turbulent, with Arun suspecting Rani’s fidelity. Frequent quarrels eventually led to the couple living separately.

Investigators said Arun had decided to kill Rani and used his contacts to procure the firearm from Munger in Bihar. However, before he could allegedly execute the plan, Charminar Task Force personnel, along with Amberpet police, arrested him and his associates — Mohammed Abbu, 26, a pan shop owner from Yapral, and Mir Muzammil Ali Khan, 23, a student from Yakutpura — on March 9 at Ali Cafe crossroads in Amberpet.

Police seized the pistol, six live rounds and a two-wheeler. However, police have not filed a chargesheet in the firearm case as the alleged suppliers of the weapon are yet to be arrested.