The sweeper fatally hit the two women on their heads with a stone, said police. (Representational)
The murder of two sisters, whose bodies were found on the banks of the Musi river in Hyderabad, was solved on Tuesday with the arrest of a 34-year-old man, a senior police official said.
The man allegedly killed them to steal their gold earrings, the official said.
On the night of January 21, A Giri, a sweeper, allegedly killed the women, aged 45 and 50, with a stone and stole their ornaments and a cellphone, he said.
The sweeper then tied the victims with a saree and abandoned the bodies near the river bank, the official said.
Giri befriended the two working as domestic helps and claimed himself to be "a priest with spiritual powers", he said.
The women asked him to teach them the special poojas and ritual, the police official said.
Later, the three consumed toddy, also known as palm wine, he said.
While drinking, the sweeper noticed the two wearing the ornaments and decided to eliminate them, the official said.
Giri asked the women to accompany him to an isolated place to learn the rituals and apply turmeric on their faces before taking them to the river bank, he said.
Once reaching the spot, the sweeper fatally hit the two women on their heads with a stone and robbed them of their valuables before fleeing, he added.