Indian woman, sons murder in 2017: Laptop blood stains links Indian man to killing
Investigators finally made progress when DNA taken from a company laptop matched blood found at the crime scene.
PTC News Desk: US authorities have charged an Indian man more than eight years after Andhra Pradesh woman Sasikala Narra and her six-year-old son Anish were found murdered in their New Jersey apartment.
Investigators finally made progress when DNA taken from a company laptop matched blood found at the crime scene. The suspect has been identified as Nazeer Hameed, who worked with Sasikala’s husband at Cognizant Technologies. At the time of the murders, Hameed lived just a short walk from the family’s home in Maple Shade, New Jersey.
According to investigators in Burlington County, Hameed left for India soon after the murders in March 2017 and has stayed there since. He had been in the US on a work visa when the crime took place.
Recently, DNA extracted from Hameed’s company-issued laptop — which was handed over to US authorities after a court order — matched an unknown blood stain found at the crime scene. This allowed prosecutors to officially charge him with murder and related crimes, and begin the process of bringing him back to the US.
On 23 March 2017, Sasikala’s husband, Hanu Narra, came home to find Sasikala and their son brutally stabbed. Both had multiple injuries and signs of trying to fight back.
During the investigation, police found a blood sample that did not match anyone from the Narra family. This helped them rule out Hanu early in the case.
Hameed came under suspicion after authorities learned he had once been accused of stalking Hanu. He moved back to India six months after the murders but continued working remotely for Cognizant.
When questioned in India, Hameed refused to give a DNA sample. Investigators then obtained a 2024 court order that forced Cognizant to submit his company laptop.
Forensic experts were able to extract DNA from the laptop, leading to a clear match with the blood at the crime scene. Police say the motive is still unknown but believe the killings may be linked to a personal grudge against Hanu. With charges now filed, US officials are working with the Department of Justice to get Hameed extradited from India.