In Chittoor district’s Usarapenta village, a 23-year-old woman, Y Hemavathi, who had delivered a baby boy a week ago, was allegedly abducted and killed by her father and family members on Friday for marrying a person from the SC community.
Hemavathi belonged to the upper caste Naidu community. According to the victim’s husband, Keshavalu, the couple got married two years ago defying Hemavathi’s parents diktats.
“Since our wedding, we had been living under fear of being attacked by Hemavathi’s family,” Kesavulu told media.
The couple had visited Palamaner Government Hospital for their baby, who had an eye-infection. While returning home, Keshavalu said that Hemavathi’s father, Bhaskar Naidu along with four of his family members, were waiting to abduct and kill her. They allegedly intercepted the couple near Chethapenta canal, two kilometres from Usarapenta. They abducted Hemavathi, leaving the new-born, according to Kesavulu.
“They beat me up and abducted her on a two-wheeler. They said that they were taking her to the police station. However, they took her near my home, killed her and threw her in the well,” Kesavulu said.
According to reports, after abducting her, Bhaskar Naidu beat her daughter to death. Kesavulu filed a complaint with the Palamaner police on Friday evening.
Circle Inspector Basha told media, “The woman’s father, Bhaskar Naidu did not approve Hemavathi’s marriage. They had a couple of fights in the past too. Bhaskar intercepted the couple along with his family members and took her to the mango grove in the village, killed her, and threw her in the well.”
Tension prevailed in the village as Kesavulu’s family members ransacked Bhaskar Naidu’s home and set a two-wheeler on fire, in retaliation. However, additional police were deployed in the village to prevent any untoward incident.
Bhaskar Naidu and others involved in the crime are absconding.
Based on the complaint by Kesavulu, a case has been registered under the SC, ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and section 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping in order to murder), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 506 (criminal intimidation) read with section 34 of IPC.
“Bhaskar Naidu and four members of the family are absconding. We have formed teams and launched a manhunt to nab the accused,” DSP Yugandhar Babu told Deccan Chronicle.