Andhra woman techie, 7-year-old son found dead in US
A 38-year-old techie from Vijayawada and her seven-year-old son were found dead in their Maple Shade township flat in New Jersey in the US.
Narra Sasikala and Anish Sai were found in a pool of blood, their throats slit open.
In the meanwhile,law enforcement officials in New Jersey denied the killings were a hate crime, PTI reported. New Jersey police are looking at all angles, including a possible robbery bid that went wrong, Telugu Association of North America sources said. And the victim’s parents alleged that Sasikala’s husband should be considered a strong suspect.
Sasikala’s husband, Hanumantha Rao, who alerted the police after he “found the bodies” when he returned home from work on Thursday evening, was detained for questioning and his cellphone confiscated by the New Jersey police. Rao said he informed his parents about the incident over the phone around 6 am on Friday before he was taken away by police.
Officials also said no arrests have been made and the deaths were being investigated as homicides. “The preliminary investigation revealed that both victims were stabbed multiple times,” said a statement provided to PTI by Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. the statement said.
“Contrary to some media reports, at this point there is no indication that this is a hate crime connected to the fact that the victims are of Indian origin,” the statement said.
The slain woman’s father, Sunkara Venkateswara Rao, a retired school teacher, claimed, “We strongly believe our daughter and grandson were murdered by Hanumantha Rao. My son-in-law has an extramarital relationship with another woman for the last few years and got rid of Sasikala and Anish.”
Mother Krishna Kumari, also a retired school teacher, told TOI Sasikala and her husband had led a troubled life for the last five years over the husband’s affair and financial disputes. The parents said they were planning to approach the Vijayawada police to file a criminal case against Rao.
Sasikala worked for Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTS) from her home; Rao works as an associate director in Comcast. The couple have been living in the US for the last 13 years. Rao’s father, Subba Rao, a farmer, approached the US embassy with the help of Telugu associations and also contacted Parchur MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao (TDP), who assured them that his concerns about his son would be brought to the notice of the US authorities. Chief minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the incident. In a message on Twitter, he said: “Pained to hear about the killing of Sasikala and son Sai in New Jersey, US. My condolences to the family members.”