Serial murder suspect Raj Kumar found dead in Penjerla village

The search for Raj Kumar, a POCSO case accused suspected of murdering six people, ended on Monday afternoon when his body was found in Penjerla village in the Kothur mandal of Rangareddy district. Following an intensive 60-hour manhunt that began on the night of July 10, local police discovered the deceased at 3 p.m. after a villager alerted them to an unidentified body in a real estate layout.

Future City Police Commissioner Tarun Joshi stated that a pesticide bottle was found near the body, leading investigators to suspect that Raj Kumar died by suicide. Froth was seen oozing from his mouth, though there were no visible external injuries. Police suspect he may have died on the night of July 12 or the morning of July 13.

At the scene, police recovered Raj Kumar's mobile phone, cash, bus tickets, and a suicide note written on a Rs 100 stamp paper. The phone, which was set to flight mode, contained a selfie video recorded around 4 p.m. on July 10, which the police commissioner partially played to the media.

In the video, Raj Kumar detailed his plan to kill both the minor girl's family and his own family before ending his life. He claimed he had been in a relationship with the 16-year-old girl and alleged that her family extorted money from him, causing him severe financial and property losses. He also accused four individuals associated with the girl's family of being responsible for his death.

The serial killings took place in Shabad at different locations. According to the police, Raj Kumar first went to the minor girl's home in Shabad and killed her mother and grandmother. The girl's family had previously registered a POCSO Act case against him in May for stalking.

Raj Kumar then allegedly abducted the minor girl in his car, drove her to a nearby lake, and killed her with a knife. He subsequently returned home and allegedly killed his wife and two minor sons.

After committing the murders, Raj Kumar called his father in Shabad around 11:30 p.m. on July 10 to confess to the killings and state his intention to end his life. Investigators believe he then fled to Penjerla, where one of his relatives lives, moving through several locations before his death.

Police also revealed that Raj Kumar had a history of suicide attempts, having undergone treatment in 2025 following an attempt linked to financial distress.