New Delhi: A horrific poison case comes into the light after a young bride, Bala Sashirekha, was hospitalised in Guntur with severe vomiting, diarrhoea, and neurological symptoms. The family members of Bala went to multiple doctors before a neurologist, Dr Vemuri Rama Tarakanath, noticed something unusual.
Tarakanath saw white lines on Bala’s nails, known as “Mees,” which indicate arsenic poisoning. Tests were conducted, and doctors found nearly ten times the normal passage. The reports triggered the Telanaga Police to conduct a brief investigation into the matter.
Suspicion among family members
The case revealed some bigger plots, as Bala’s mother-in-law, M. Uma Maheshwari, died weeks earlier, which was initially believed to be a natural death, but several members reported similar symptoms to Bala, triggering suspicion among the family, and it alarmed M. Sirisha, who is the sister of Bala’s husband and Uma’s daughter. She lives in the UK.
A complaint filed by Sirisha, accusing her estranged husband, Ajith Kumar Mupparappu, a UK-based pharmacist. The officials uncovered the mystery by solving the case, as the case was a revenge plot rooted in a troubled marriage.
The plot
Srisha and the accused Ajith married in 2018, but their relationship didn’t go well as it turned abusive over time. In 2022, Srisha left Ajith and filed for divorce. According to the investigation, from then on, Ajit planned to kill Srisha and her family.
Ajith had pharmaceutical knowledge and allegedly procured arsenic through his sister and secretly laced spices such as salt and chilli powder, which were ultimately delivered to Srisha’s parents’ home in Hyderabad.
The family unknowingly consumed the spices for over the weeks, leading to illness and Uma’s death. Investigators also revealed that Ajith planned several failed murder attempts, including a staged road accident.
The case stands out for its meticulous planning, rare use of arsenic, and the critical medical observation that exposed a deadly conspiracy.