Married woman found dead in Khammam; family alleges husband murdered her for insurance money

A 29-year-old married woman was found dead under suspicious circumstances at Gol Thanda village in Tirumalayapalem mandal of Khammam district on Thursday night.

The deceased was identified as Banoth Meenakshi.

Police said her body was found hanging at her residence, while family members alleged that her husband murdered her for insurance money and attempted to portray the death as suicide.

According to police, Meenakshi and her husband Shivaji (34), a contract employee in the electricity department, had been married for 14 years.

Family members alleged that the couple had been facing marital issues for some time and claimed that Meenakshi had been subjected to physical and mental harassment in the past.

In their complaint, family members alleged that financial distress and an insurance policy in Meenakshi’s name could have been the motive behind the incident. They claimed the family was burdened with debts of nearly ₹80 lakh and that Meenakshi held an insurance policy worth ₹1 crore.

They alleged that Shivaji planned to claim the insurance amount and conspired to kill Meenakshi.

However, police said the insurance angle has not yet been confirmed.

Meanwhile, videos circulating on social media allegedly showed Shivaji assaulting Meenakshi on earlier occasions. Investigators are examining the authenticity of the videos, including when they were recorded and by whom.

Sub-inspector K Jagadeesh said police are investigating allegations of domestic violence and suspicious death. He said further sections would be added if evidence points to homicide, adding that murder charges have not yet been invoked as the investigation is still underway.