“The murder of software engineer Pachala Deepthi (26) was a clear case of ‘honour killing’. The young techie was strangled to death by her parents for marrying against their wishes,” said Guntur West DSP T.V. Nagaraju. The Pattabhipuram police produced the accused -- Pachala Hari Babu and Samrajyam -- before the media in Guntur on Tuesday.
Speaking to newsmen, Mr. Nagaraju said Deepthi’s parents had decided to kill her for marrying a boy belonging to a different caste and added that they were not repenting for what they had done.
However, contrary to the police version, Deepthi’s father Hari Babu said a quarrel ensued between them at home and Deepthi had slapped him. Angered over this, he thrashed her and strangled her with a ‘chunni’.
“It was not a planned murder. We have not killed our daughter intentionally. My wife is not involved and she is not guilty,” Hari Babu said.
Pattabhipuram CI Sk. Bilaluddin said when Deepthi told her parents about her plans to marry Kiran Kumar, they opposed it. On learning that Deepthi and Kiran had got married against their wishes, the parents planned to eliminate her.
“Accordingly, Hari Babu and Samrajyam brought the newly-weds to Guntur assuring them of arranging a reception. They convinced Deepthi to accompany them home alone on the pretext of performing a ‘puja’. While Samrajyam caught hold of Deepthi’s hands, Hari Babu strangled her with the ‘chunni’,” the CI said.
A case has been registered against the accused under Section. 302 r/w.34 of IPC and Section.417 of IPC, the DSP said.
