Kothagudem: Forest beat officer, scribe among four arrested in Paloncha murder case

Paloncha police arrested four individuals, including a forest beat officer and a local reporter, in connection with the murder of Dharavath Harinath.

Kothagudem: Paloncha police arrested four persons, including a forest beat officer and a vernacular news reporter, in a murder case. The deceased Dharavath Harinath (39) of Vengal Rao Colony in Paloncha town was found dead under suspicious circumstances, found hanging with a saree in his house on December 15, 2025

The deceased’s mother in her complaint to the police alleged that his wife, Shruthi Laya- a forest beat officer (FBO) at Venkatapuram area of Wajedu in Mulug district, was behind the death of Harinath, Paloncha DSP Sathish Kumar told the media on Friday.

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The FBO when working at Cherla was alleged to have developed an illicit relationship with a news reporter, Konda Kaushik of the same area. Despite several mediations by elders, her behaviour remained unchanged and she continued the affair.

During the investigation, Shruthi Laya’s inconsistent answers gave rise to suspicion. A thorough investigation revealed that it was a case of murder disguised as suicide and she confessed to her crime. She killed Harinath with the help of her lover Kaushik, his friends Chennam Mohan of Wazedu and Degala Bhanu of Yetapaka in AP, the DSP said.

Harinath was strangled to death when he was sleeping under the influence of alcohol. Later the scene was staged to look like he had committed suicide by hanging himself from a slab hook at the back of the house, the DSP added.