Police said the accused, Koduri Chandrasekhar Azad alias Arjun, operated from Hyderabad while his elder brother Rajiv worked from Bengaluru. Both, natives of Chalamalamudi in Vatticherukuru mandal of Guntur district, were aided by their cousin Udit Karthik, their mother Meena Kumari and her paramour Vinil Choudary.

Arjun and Rajiv, taken into four‑day custody, confessed to posing as rich men on social media to lure victims. They allegedly took them in luxury cars, sexually assaulted them, recorded the acts with spy cameras and then blackmailed them for money.

Police said Meena Kumari and her associate Taraka Prashanth played key roles. One case of extortion involving a minor has surfaced, with the gang collecting ₹13 lakh. During interrogation, Prashanth and Vinil disclosed the names of two more youths, Jitender of Jagadgirigutta and N. Hemanth of Kesamudram, who were also arrested. So far, eight persons have been held while others, including Meena Kumari’s aides Saraswati Nishanth and Sreejith, remain at large.

Special teams have been formed to trace more suspects based on information from seized mobile phones and laptops. Police said some victims are unwilling to lodge complaints, and investigators are seeking legal opinion on proceeding suo motu.

Domestic help, daughter held for ₹19 lakh theft

Jubilee Hills crime team arrested a domestic help, her minor daughter, and a youth for stealing ₹19 lakh from a businessman’s house. Police said ₹8 lakh of the stolen amount has been recovered.

The accused, identified as Saidamma of Nalgonda district, had been working at businessman Ajay’s residence in MLA MP Colony, Jubilee Hills, for three years along with her 17‑year‑old daughter. Harbouring a grudge against the family for allegedly mistreating them, Saidamma and her daughter plotted the theft with their friend Devakumar alias Chintu, 22, a resident of Borabanda.

In the first week of March, Saidamma allegedly stole ₹19 lakh from Ajay’s cupboard. Suspicious of his workers, Ajay laid a trap on April 25 by placing ₹40,000 in the house. When the duo attempted to take the money, his suspicions were confirmed. The daughter later returned the amount and confessed.

The two absconded soon after, prompting Ajay to lodge a complaint. During interrogation, the accused admitted to gifting a bike and an iPhone to Devakumar with the stolen cash.

Police said Saidamma and Devakumar have been remanded to Chanchalguda prison, while the minor has been sent to a juvenile home. Efforts are on to trace the remaining stolen money.

11 rowdy sheeters test positive for ganja in Cyberabad drive

With an aim to curb substance abuse among habitual offenders, Cyberabad police conducted a special drug-testing drive on rowdy sheeters across the commissionerate limits, during which 11 individuals tested positive for ganja consumption.

According to DCP Pulla Shobhan Kumar, the operation was jointly carried out by Cyberabad Enforcement teams and law and order police as part of continuous efforts to monitor known offenders and strengthen public safety measures. Police tested a total of 128 rowdy sheeters during the drive. Of them, 117 tested negative, while 11 were found to have consumed ganja. Officials said the highest number of positive cases was detected in the Serilingampally zone, where six rowdy sheeters tested positive. The Quthbullapur zone recorded four positive cases, while one individual tested positive in the Kukatpally zone.

Authorities stated that the special drive reflects the department’s focus on identifying drug consumption patterns among repeat offenders and individuals with criminal backgrounds. They highlighted that substance abuse often contributes to unlawful activities, disturbances and violent offences, making regular monitoring necessary.

The DCP said legal action is being initiated against those who tested positive, while counselling and close monitoring measures will also be undertaken wherever required. Officials added that such surprise testing drives would continue regularly across the commissionerate to deter drug abuse and maintain law and order. Cyberabad police also appealed to citizens to cooperate with enforcement agencies and share credible information related to drug trafficking and narcotics consumption in their localities.

Gas cylinder racket busted in Secunderabad

The commissioner’s Task Force, Secunderabad zone, along with Gandhinagar police, arrested four persons for illegally selling commercial gas cylinders at inflated prices and seized 129 cylinders worth ₹7.5 lakh.

The arrests were made at IDH Colony, New Bhoiguda, where the accused were transporting cylinders to customers at high rates. Those held were identified as Yalam Parthip Kumar, 21, of Karmanghat, Jallela Mallesh, 25, of Meerpet — both delivery boys — mediator Mora Nagarjun alias Arjun, 23, of Secunderabad, and customer Nagulapally Mallesh, 52, of Bhoiguda.

Police also seized a goods vehicle, a bike, ₹26,700 cash, and four mobile phones. The accused were selling cylinders priced between ₹3,500 and ₹3,800 for over ₹5,000, exploiting the public for wrongful gain, said Task Force DCP Gajwad Vaibhav Radhunath.

The accused and seized property were handed over to Gandhinagar police, who later remanded them to judicial custody.

Man held for killing wife with dumbbell in Sanathnagar

A 39-year-old man allegedly killed his wife by attacking her with a dumbbell at their residence in Shivashankar Colony in Fatehnagar under Sanathnagar after suspecting her of speaking to unknown persons, police said on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Sasmita Samal, 34, a native of Jajpur district in Odisha. Police said the accused, Chandra Banu Samal, had been living in Hyderabad with his wife and their two children, Chandan, 12, and Chandini, 9, for the past year.

According to police, the incident took place around 8 am on Tuesday. Chandra Banu allegedly attacked Sasmita on the head with a dumbbell during an argument, causing severe injuries and leaving her unconscious. Family members shifted her to BBR Hospital, from where she was referred to Gandhi Hospital for advanced treatment. She died while undergoing treatment in the early hours of Wednesday. Sanathnagar police registered a murder case against Chandra Banu Samal and launched an investigation.

Gold shop loot: Gang used fake number plates

More details have emerged in the PMJ gold shop heist, with investigators revealing that the assailants used a motorcycle number belonging to a Hyderabad‑based mobile dealer to mislead police.

Task force teams from the city, along with Karimnagar and neighbouring districts, discovered that the gang had fixed the dealer’s number plates onto their Apache bike during the robbery. Police said the accused obtained the details after the dealer listed his bike for sale on OLX.

Initially, investigators suspected the gang had travelled to Hyderabad based on the bike number. However, further inquiry showed the plates were deliberately used to divert the probe.

“We have secured strong leads and, with Karimnagar police, will soon detect the case, arrest the accused, and recover the booty on priority,” a senior officer disclosed.

Man arrested for posing as cop online

The commissioner’s task force, Rajendranagar zone, in coordination with Kalapathar police, arrested a man for impersonating a police officer and uploading fabricated videos on social media to gain followers.

The accused, Mahommed Abubakar Ali Tabassum (27), a Zomato delivery boy from Bhadurpura, created misleading videos using AI‑based software, falsely depicting himself as a police official and showcasing weapons. Police said such content had the potential to mislead the public and cause panic.

One mobile phone used in the offence was seized. DCP Task Force Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath said preliminary inquiry confirmed the videos were fabricated using AI software and did not represent genuine police activity.

A case has been registered and further investigation is underway to identify others involved. The commissioner of police appreciated the work of the task force and Kalapathar police.

An advisory has been issued urging citizens not to believe or circulate unverified content on social media and to rely only on official sources. Suspicious posts should be reported to the nearest police station or cybercrime authorities, the advisory suggested.

Baby abducted in Suraram rescued within 48 hours; five held

Suraram police cracked a kidnapping case within 48 hours and rescued a six-month-old baby girl who had been abducted from near a hospital in the area. Five persons, including two juveniles, were apprehended in connection with the case.

DCP N. Koti Reddy said, “The baby was kidnapped in the early hours while she was sleeping with her family on a footpath near a hospital. Following a complaint lodged by the infant’s mother, police registered a case and formed four special teams to trace the child and identify the suspects.”

Police said the accused had allegedly conducted reconnaissance in the area before carrying out the kidnapping. During the investigation, officers examined CCTV footage and technical evidence from the scene, which helped track the suspects to a function hall area in Rajendranagar.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to the crime. Police said the prime accused intended to hand over the child to a relative distressed over not having children. The group conspired and abducted the infant after waiting for the family to fall asleep.

The baby was rescued safely and handed back to the family. Police also seized a motorcycle and five mobile phones from the accused.

According to the DCP, the operation was conducted under the supervision of senior officers and involved coordinated efforts by Suraram police, CCS and SOT teams. Further investigation is underway.