Hyderabad: Man killed by in-laws for inter-caste marriage

A young man was kidnapped and killed in Hyderabad at the behest of his wife's father, maternal uncle, and other relatives for allegedly marrying outside their caste.

Chintha Yoga Hemanth Kumar (28) who was abducted on Thursday afternoon was reported dead at Sangareddy near the city on Friday morning.

The killing reminded the 2018 murder of one Pranay from a Scheduled Caste community in Miryalaguda town of Telangana by goons hired by businessman Maruthi Rao, father of Pranay’s wife Amrutha.

Hemanth Kumar and Avanthi (23), belonging to different forward castes, got married in June and were living separately in Gachibowli, away from both their families.

The Cyberabad police, who claimed to have solved the case, have arrested 14 accused persons including the father, mother, and several close relatives of Avanthi. Four more accused are absconding.

In her complaint to the police, Avanthi said that on Thursday afternoon, several of her close relatives including three women came in three cars, stormed their house, and manhandled the couple.

“Later A-8 Ranjith Reddy and others took them in a car of A-9 Rakesh Reddy driven by their driver A-15 Saheb Patel. They asked them to come to their house at Lingampally to discuss the matter. But on the way they turned towards the Outer Ring Road. Suspecting some foul play, we jumped out from the car and started running towards Lingampally. A-1 Yugender Reddy and others following in another car, caught hold of them, beat Hemanth and abducted him in their car,” Avanthi, who managed to escape, said.

Avanthi’s relatives including Ranjith Reddy, Rakesh Reddy, A-7 Vijayender Reddy, A-10 Rajitha, A-13 Spandana, A-14 Swapna and A-11 Santosh Reddy who arrived in two cars tried to grab her. They filthily abused Hemanth’s father and mother who also came there, and also threatened to kill them.

In her statement, Avanthi contended that her relatives were involved in the gruesome crime at the behest of her father.

Cyberabad police revealed to the media that the accused relatives had conspired to kill the deceased by engaging hired killers as he had married Avanthi against their wish.

“The deceased Hemanth was abducted by Yugender Reddy (A-1) and others who murdered him by strangulation at about 7.30 PM on Thursday on the outskirts of Kistaigudem village in Sanga Reddy district,” the officials said.