Priyanka, who works as a ward volunteer in the One Town area of Visakhapatnam, has known Srikanth for a long time. They have been neighbours for years. A few months ago, Srikanth, who is 23, proposed marriage to 20-year-old Priyanka, according to her family. While Priyanka and her parents were not very keen on the match, Srikanth refused to drop the idea. On Wednesday morning, Srikanth entered Priyanka’s house, allegedly slit her throat with a knife, and then proceeded to slit his own throat. Both Srikanth and Priyanka are undergoing medical treatment and are in a stable condition, according to the police.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Aishwarya Rastogi told the media that the incident happened around 8.45 am on Wednesday, at Priyanka’s residence near Thomson Street. “Around six months ago, the man and his parents asked the girl’s parents for her hand in marriage. Her parents didn’t agree. Since then, he continued to pursue her despite the proposal being rejected. Recently, there might have been a trigger point. He attacked her in a planned manner, and slit his own throat too,” DCP Rastogi said.
According to Priyanka’s family members, the door to the room where the attack happened had been latched from outside, and it was Priyanka’s brother who opened the door to find her injured. Priyanka’s sister told reporters that Priyanka had rejected Srikanth's proposal and told him that she would only marry someone whom her parents approved of.
A case has been registered against Srikanth in One Town Police Station under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 309 (suicide attempt) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Earlier in November, a 17-year-old girl named Varalakshmi was found dead near a temple in Gajuwaka area of Visakhapatnam with her throat slit. An acquaintance named Akhil was suspected to have killed her. In October, 20-year-old Divya died from knife injuries, after her neighbour Nagendra entered her house in Vijayawada while her family was away. Both Nagendra and Divya were found in her room with knife injuries.