SC youth commits suicide as in-laws take away wife

Another inter-caste marriage ended in a tragedy here, with a youth belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) committing suicide by self-immolating.

Srikanth of Santosh Nagar was upset with his in-laws, who belong to an upper caste, for taking away his pregnant wife and for slapping cases against him.

He set himself ablaze on Wednesday night. He was rushed to Osmania General Hospital, where he succumbed to his burn injuries on Thursday afternoon.

According to family members, Srikanth married Sriharsha in Arya Samaj in 2015 against the will of her parents.

However, Srikanth’s family accepted Sriharsha and sheltered her. Both continued their studies.

Things changed after Sriharsha became pregnant. Her father, who works in the police department, took her home last year in the name of delivery. Since then, the contact between the couple was cut off.

In his selfie video before committing suicide, Srikanth alleged that Sriharsha’s family had been harassing his family by slapping multiple cases. His family members alleged that Sriharsha and her father Shanmukhachary were responsible for his death. They said Sriharsha, at the behest of her father, lodged 12 cases against Srikanth and his parents in the Nakirekal police station in Nalgonda district. Srikanth’s family members were arrested and lodged in jails for months.

This is the third incident which pertains to inter-caste marriages in Telangana, in less than a week since September 14.

Meanwhile, Madhavi who was attacked by her father on Wednesday is recovering from the near-fatal injuries at a corporate hospital here. Surgeons who operated on her severed hand and neck said in a medical bulletin that ventilator support has been removed and she will be shifted to the general ward within two days.

Madhavi’s father Manohara Chary told the police that he targeted his daughter because she married a lower caste man against his wish. He said he wants his daughter to live.

Hang culprits

Meanwhile, several organisations in both the Telugu states, demanded death penalty for Maruthi Rao in Pranay killing case. Andhra Pradesh SC, ST Commissioner chairman K Sivaji demanded that Rao should be hanged to death. “The commission will stand in support of the inter-caste couples,” he said.