VISAKHAPATNAM: A gruesome murder in the Gajuwaka locality of Vizag city has sent shockwaves after a Navy employee, Ch Ravindra, was arrested for allegedly murdering a woman with whom he was in a relationship, chopping the body into pieces, dumping some parts, and storing the remaining parts in a refrigerator. The incident took place in the LV Nagar locality under Gajuwaka police station limits on Sunday night. The victim has been identified as Polipalli Mounika (31), a resident of Sanjeevayya Colony, Tatichetlapalem, in Vizag city. The accused, Chintada Ravindra (30), is a resident of LV Nagar, Gajuwaka, in Vizag city and a native of Rajam in Vizianagaram district. Ravindra has been working at INS Dega for the past one year. He came into contact with Mounika in 2021 through a dating app called “Mingle App.” Thereafter, they frequently met at various places in Vizag city and subsequently developed a relationship. During the course of their relationship, it is alleged that Mounika started demanding money from Ravindra and, over a period of time, collected around Rs 3.5 lakh. It is further alleged that she threatened Ravindra that she would disclose their relationship to his wife and ruin his married life.Here’s how the crime unfolded:
- The accused, a 35-year-old Navy technician, was alone at home as his wife had gone to her parents’ place weeks earlier.
- The victim, Mounika, 29, was known to him and had been in a relationship with the accused.
- She was called to the house on Sunday afternoon and stayed there for several hours before the argument.
- The altercation broke out in the evening, which police believe escalated suddenly.
- The woman was killed inside the house, after which the accused dismembered the body.
- Some body parts were packed in a bag and taken to an isolated location for disposal.
- Other remains were kept inside a refrigerator in the house.
- The accused did not flee and instead walked into a police station and confessed to the crime.
- Police teams recovered several body parts from the residence during the search.
- The victim’s head is still missing, and efforts are on to trace it.
Ravindra’s wife had gone to her hometown in Vizianagaram a few weeks ago. Unable to bear the alleged harassment and threats, Ravindra called Mounika to his residence (Flat No. 102, Keerthi Enclave-1, LV Nagar) on Sunday (March 29). The two reportedly had an argument, following which Ravindra allegedly murdered Mounika by sealing her nose and mouth with his hands.After killing her, Ravindra allegedly tried to hide the crime and destroy evidence. He is said to have procured a sharp knife through an online delivery application and dismembered the body by separating the head, hands, and legs.It is further reported that he kept the legs and hip portion in a trolley bag, stored the torso (without the head, hands, and legs) in the refrigerator, and later shifted the head and hands to the Simhachalam area, where he allegedly burnt them.Police said Ravindra and Mounika became acquainted through the dating app, during which they exchanged mobile numbers. Subsequently, they developed a close relationship that turned into an intimate love affair.In 2024, the accused married another woman. Police said the victim had allegedly been persistently threatening him that she would disclose their relationship to his wife and expose the manner in which he had deceived her under the pretext of love.Being apprehensive of such disclosure, the accused allegedly hatched a plan to eliminate the victim and, in furtherance of the plan, committed her murder. The accused has been arrested and is being sent to judicial remand.
