Chainsaw, petrol, social media tracking: How Hyderabad techie plotted murder of pregnant ex-wife

• Ex-husband planned and murdered pregnant woman in Hyderabad
• Accused tracked victim for weeks, bought weapons and chainsaw
• Prior domestic violence case and grudge cited as motives

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The brutal murder of a 25-year-old pregnant woman inside her home in the Vanasthalipuram area in Hyderabad on Wednesday was not a crime of sudden rage, but the culmination of a chilling, weeks-long conspiracy, police revealed.

Investigators have painted a picture of methodical stalking and cold-blooded premeditation in the killing of Sunitha, who was three months pregnant. Her ex-husband, Devarakonda Mahesh, who was arrested and remanded in judicial custody on Thursday, allegedly spent weeks tracking her movements, purchasing weapons and preparing to force his way into her home.

According to Vanasthalipuram police, the 30-year-old accused had been fixated on locating Sunitha after her remarriage. He meticulously monitored her activity on social media to pinpoint her residence, having recently moved to the Turkayamjal area specifically with the intent to kill her.

The details of his preparation have disturbed even seasoned investigators. Police disclosed that Mahesh did not anticipate a simple confrontation. He reportedly expected that Sunitha and her current husband might lock him out upon seeing him.

To counter this, the accused purchased a chainsaw approximately a week before the crime, intending to use it to break down the door if necessary. In addition to the saw, he had procured knives and petrol, allegedly as part of a plan that left little to chance.

"Mahesh, after tracking her movements through social media, traced her residence. The accused expected that Sunitha and her husband would be at home and might lock themselves inside on seeing him. To deal with that situation and break open the door, he brought a chainsaw," a police official was cited by TOI as saying.

The investigation has also revealed a timeline of the accused’s movements in the lead-up to the murder. After returning from Canada, Mahesh initially stayed in Miyapur for a few months. However, police noted a significant shift in his behaviour two months ago, when he moved to Turkayamjal. It was from this location, authorities believe, that he began to actively stalk his ex-wife and finalise his plans.

A deeper layer of motive has also emerged. According to police sources, Mahesh harboured a deep-seated grudge against Sunitha, holding her responsible for the mental agony he claimed led to his mother's death. This resentment was compounded by the divorce and her subsequent remarriage.

The relationship between the two had been fraught with legal conflict. Prior to the murder, Sunitha had filed a criminal case against Mahesh, alleging domestic violence. As a result of that case, law enforcement had seized his passport, a move that prevented him from returning to Canada for over a year — a factor that investigators believe fuelled his simmering rage.