Telangana honour killing: Victim's wife accuses her father of planning the murder

HYDERABAD: Nalgonda district police have reportedly taken three people into custody in connection with the sensational honour killing case in Miryalaguda town, even as a bandh was observed here against the murder of P Pranay, a Dalit youth. Special police teams fanned out in the state to nab the attacker, who is yet to be identified.
Protest demonstrations were held in Miryalaguda town on Saturday demanding stern penal action against those responsible for the killing.
Pranay, 23, was stabbed to death outside a private hospital on Friday while he was returning home along with wife Amruta Varshini. Pranay had taken Amruta to the hospital for medical check up as she was five months into pregnancy. Amruta, witness to the broad daylight murder, is yet to recover from shock. She is now hospitalised.
The police have seized CCTV footage of the hospital for analysis. The murder was captured by the CCTV cameras.
Amruta hailed from an upper caste community and her family did not like that she had married a Dalit youth against their wishes. Amruta on Saturday told mediapersons that her father T Maruti Rao and uncle Sravan Kumar were behind the murder. The police also suspect that the duo had hired killers to murder Pranay.
According to sources, the police picked up three persons including Maruti Rao. However, Nalgonda police superintendent Ranganath said the police had not made any arrests so far. He said the police would soon catch the culprits. Meanwhile, the police beefed up security in Miryalaguda town as several Dalit organisations held protests demanding justice fir the victim’s family.
SC, ST Commission chairman Srinivas visited the town and met the family members of Pranay. Srinivas later told media that it was unfortunate that the youth was killed as he did not belong to the caste of Amruta. He extended support to the victim’s family.
Amruta said the murder was pre-planned and her father had been keeping a tab on her movements. She said a recce was conducted before the murder. “We expected harm from my father but did not believe that he would resort to honour killing,” she said.
Amruta and Pranay married on January 30 at Arya Samaj office and since then have been living away from Amruta’s family. Pranay’s father Bala Swamy told media that Amruta had insisted on the marriage though her father was against the inter-caste wedding.
Amruta said she and Pranay knew each other since 2011. “I was confined to house by my parents after they came to know about our love and proposal for marriage. My uncle 'manhandled' me. They took away the SIM card of my mobile phone,” she said, adding that her father and uncle developed drudge after the marriage.
She said her father insisted that she abort the baby after he came to know of her pregnancy. “My father hails from a so-called upper caste but see his actions. Pranay, who was murdered for his so-called lower caste, was very kind to me and would help me in all my daily chores,” Amruta said.
A video posted on Facebook by Amruta had reportedly infuriated her father. The video showed Amruta living happily with Pranay.