Mother suspect in ‘honour killing’ of pregnant woman

A 24-year-old pregnant woman was reportedly murdered by slitting her throat by her mother at Yalagur village near here on Tuesday evening.

The victim in the dishonour killing case is Renuka Shankrappa Naik, who belongs to the Halumatha community and hails from Shiravara village in Manvi taluk of Raichur district.

Her husband Shankrappa Naik, who belongs to the Lambani community and hails from Mukkalagudda tanda in Devadurga taluk of Raichur district. He runs a mobile phone store at Nidagundi.

Naik said he and Renuka were in love since the time they were studying PUC. They had married a couple of years ago, despite opposition from their families. He claimed that the woman’s family members often talked about killing her.

Renuka had brought her mother to stay with them as she was pregnant, a few days ago.

He said Renuka’s mother, Marevva Mahadeva Pujari, had summoned two people from her village.

The trio slit the pregnant woman’s throat with a sharp weapon and fled, Naik said.

An eye-witness told DH that a couple of men had arrived at his house, when he was away on Tuesday.

Soon, the tense looking men left the place along with Marevva. They found the four-month pregnant woman lying dead in the house.

The eye-witness informed Naik, who rushed back home.