The city police claimed to have cracked the case relating to the murder of 25-year-old  Air India airhostess at her house in JJ Nagar near Mogappair recently.

After questioning many suspects including the boy friend of Nithy Kumari (the victim), the police arrested one of her young neighbours who is said to have killed her after trying to steal her mobile phone.

Speaking to reporters here, the outgoing city Police Commissioner Radhakrishnan said Muhammed Ismail (23), the neighbour in question,  had been to the house of Nithy Kumari with the intention of stealing her modern cell phone and electronic gadgets.

However, his attempt seems to have gone awry as Nithy is said to have spotted her. It is being suspected that Nithy was gaged and smothered by Muhammed so that she didn’t raise any alarm. But apparently she died in the process.

After killing her by strangulation, Muhamed dumped her body under the cot. Investigations by the special police team formed to crack down the murder revealed that the culprit had stolen a laptop, cell phone, I-pod and Rs 500 from the house after murdering Nithy.

Initially the police were clueless over the murder, but the enquiry conducted on basis of the last dialled number from the victim’s mobile led the police to nab Muhammed, who is said to have called his sister from Nithy’s mobile.

Investigations have also revealed that he is also linked with several cell phone theft cases in the city.