A 19-year-old engineering student died after allegedly being struck with a cricket bat by his girlfriend’s mother, who had opposed their relationship. The incident took place on Tuesday in Hyderabad’s Beeramguda.
The victim has been identified as K Jyothi Sravan Sai, a second-year BTech Computer Science student from St Peter’s Engineering College in Maisammaguda. A native of Penuganchiprolu village from Andhra’s NTR district, he was staying in a rented flat in Qutbullapur. Both his parents have passed away.
According to reports, the deceased was in a relationship with 19-year-old Sreeja from Beeramguda. Though they studied in different colleges, they had known each other since Class X and continued their relationship.
On Monday, Sreeja reportedly informed her mother that she was pregnant, which led to an argument. The mother then asked Sreeja to call Sravan Sai home.
According to The Times of India, the girl’s mother confronted him about the pregnancy and reprimanded both of them.
“In a fit of rage, she grabbed a cricket bat lying nearby and began hitting her daughter. Sravan Sai stepped in to shield her, and the bat struck his head,” Ameenpur SHO told The Times of India.
Sreeja sustained an arm injury and was taken to the hospital.
Sai stayed back at the house and slept in a separate room. At around 3 am, he began struggling to breathe. Although he was rushed to a hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
“Sravan Sai, who had fallen unconscious due to severe injuries, was taken to a private hospital in Nizampet by the girl’s family members in the early hours of Wednesday. Doctors declared him dead upon arrival,” CI Naresh told ETV Bharat.
Meanwhile, Sravan Sai’s uncle, Venkateshwar Rao, alleged that the girl’s mother had summoned his nephew with ill intent. “The girl’s mother called Shravan to their house, saying they wanted to discuss the marriage. Once he was there, the family confined him in their house from Tuesday afternoon until the early hours of Wednesday and thrashed him mercilessly. Our child died because of this physical torture,” he alleged.
Police have seized the cricket bat used in the incident. Further investigation is underway.