A seven-member gang is suspected to be behind the murder of former IPS officer Vinay Ranjan’s wife at their Jubilee Hills residence. The gang allegedly fled Hyderabad aboard the Telangana Express from Nampally railway station shortly after the crime, with police teams now deployed across multiple cities to trace them.

The deceased, Tanuja Ranjan, 55, was found dead at her residence in Prashasan Nagar in the early hours of Friday, May 8. Preliminary investigation has suggested robbery as the motive.

Investigators said the gang comprised six men and one woman, identified as Kalpana, who is suspected to have played a key role in facilitating entry into the house

Special teams from Hyderabad Police have since been dispatched to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Lucknow, Delhi and areas along the Nepal border as part of the manhunt.

At the time of the incident, Vinay Ranjan was travelling, while the couple’s children were asleep on the upper floor and remained unaware of the attack.

Police are continuing to analyse CCTV footage and other technical evidence while also working to ascertain the valuables stolen from the residence.