‘ 20 Sleeping Pills in Biryani ‘, Andhra Wife and Lover Arrested for Smothering Husband

In a chilling case of premeditated murder from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, a woman allegedly drugged her husband with sleeping pills hidden in his meal and then, with her lover’s assistance, smothered him to death before attempting to stage the incident as a natural cardiac event.

The crime occurred in Chiluvuru village under Duggirala mandal. According to police, the victim, Lokam Shivanagaraju—an onion trader—was killed by his wife, Lakshmi Madhuri, and her paramour, Gopi. Investigations revealed that Madhuri had been engaged in an extramarital affair with Gopi for some time.

On the night of January 18, Madhuri prepared biryani and laced it with powdered sleeping pills—reports citing around 20 tablets—before serving it to her husband. Once Shivanagaraju consumed the food and fell into a deep, drug-induced sleep, she contacted Gopi, who arrived at the residence around 11:30 p.m. The pair then allegedly suffocated him: Gopi reportedly sat on the victim’s chest while Madhuri pressed a pillow over his face until he stopped breathing.

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In an effort to cover up the homicide, Madhuri informed neighbors and villagers the following morning that her husband had suffered a sudden heart attack. She raised an alarm as if discovering him lifeless.

Suspicion emerged when Shivanagaraju’s father and associates noticed visible injuries and bloodstains on the body during examination. They lodged a complaint with local authorities, triggering an investigation. A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as asphyxiation due to smothering, along with associated chest trauma, ruling out any natural or cardiac origin.

Both Madhuri and Gopi were subsequently arrested based on the evidence and confessions during questioning.

Early media accounts suggested that Madhuri had spent the night watching pornographic videos beside her husband’s body. However, Guntur Superintendent of Police Vakul Jindal clarified that such content was previously viewed by the victim himself on his wife’s mobile phone, which had reportedly sparked recurring disputes between the couple.

The arrests followed forensic findings and police scrutiny that dismantled the initial portrayal of a natural death. Authorities continue to probe the full circumstances surrounding the long-standing affair and the planning of the crime.