The accused were arrested due to swift reaction by the police and timely support of locals.
City Police Commissioner Amit Garg said that a 70-year-old widow Hafiz Unnissa, who resided behind Indus Hospital near Jagadamba Junction was allegedly smothered to death by a four-member gang around 8 pm on Monday in her residence.
The gang was caught by the police at around 10 pm on Monday.
Those arrested were identified as Kurupam area (Vizianagaram district) resident A Naresh Kumar (35), Gonduru village resident P Ramu (21), Naresh's wife V Santha Kumari (23) who resides at Burma Camp in Kancharapalem as well as B Varalakhsmi (19) of Pedabayalu.
Earlier, he had befriended Santha Kumari, an employee at Manipal Hospital in the city, where he used to work as a guard, and married her.
Police sources said that during her spinster days, Santha used to be the victim's tenant and Naresh had visited the house to meet a job consultant who also was a tenant.
Both Santha and Naresh were known to the murdered widow Hafiz Unnissa. Allegedly, they hatched a conspiracy with Ramu and Varalakshmi, who were their family friends to kill the widow, taking her vulnerability into consideration, since they were all in need of money.
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