A 25-year-old woman and her relative have been arrested by Chickballapur police for allegedly murdering her sister-in-law and staging the crime as a robbery in an attempt to obtain valuables and raise money to meet blackmail demands.

The accused, identified as Bhavya, allegedly conspired with her relative, Lohith Kumar of Hosakote, to kill her sister-in-law, Bhagyamma, 25.

According to the police, Lohith Kumar had been blackmailing Bhavya using private videos of her with a male friend and had already extorted nearly ₹6 lakh from her. When he allegedly continued demanding more money, Bhavya decided to end her sister-in-law’s life and steal her jewellery.

Investigators said Bhavya took advantage of a situation in which the male members of the family had left on a religious trip to Tamil Nadu. As per the plan, she informed Lohith Kumar about the opportunity and allegedly left the main door open to allow him to enter the house during the night.

The duo allegedly smothered Bhagyamma to death with a pillow before removing her gold chain and a pair of earrings. To mislead investigators, they allegedly slashed the victim’s neck and staged the scene to resemble a robbery-cum-murder. The police said the accused also tied the victim’s hands and legs and gagged her mouth to strengthen the false narrative.

During the investigation, forensic examination and analysis of the crime scene revealed that the victim had died due to smothering and not because of the throat injuries. Chickballapur Superintendent of Police Kushal Chowksey, who supervised the investigation, said the absence of any signs of forced entry raised suspicion.

The police also found inconsistencies in Bhavya’s statements while she was undergoing treatment in the hospital. Her changing versions of the incident prompted investigators to question her further. Sustained interrogation and detailed investigation eventually led to her alleged confession, following which both Bhavya and Lohith Kumar were arrested.

The case came to light after the victim’s mother lodged a complaint alleging that unknown persons had murdered her daughter at her residence in Chickballapur during the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. The duo have been taken into custody for further investigation.