Tension prevailed at Nadabhoganahalli in K.R. Pet on Tuesday with villagers thrashing up a family and setting their house ablaze over the alleged murder of a housewife. It is alleged that that the victim Priyanka (27) was strangled to death by her husband Manjappa and in-laws for failing to bring additional dowry.
The police said Priyanka was found hanging from the ceiling, with her legs tied, at her husband Manjappa’s house at Nadabhoganahalli.
The enraged residents and relatives of the victim thrashed Manjappa and his relatives before setting their house ablaze. They also allegedly burnt a motorcycle and mounds of coconuts.
On getting the information, police and fire and emergency service personnel rushed to the village and doused the fire.
However, when the local residents tried to prevent them from dousing the fire, the police resorted to mild caning to disperse the mob and shift Manjappa and some of his relatives to the police station for inquiry.
Arrested
Priyanka was married to Manjappa of Nadabhoganahalli a few years back. He had collected several lakh rupees worth gold ornaments and cash during the wedding, police said.
According to her relatives, Manjappa and his relatives used to harass Priyanka for additional dowry. A conciliation meeting was also held recently, after Manjappa’s family tried to send the victim to her parents’ house.
They killed the woman on Tuesday early morning and hung the body, her relatives alleged.
The face was covered with a towel when they visited the house to descend the body. The body bore strangulation marks, a police officer said.
The police arrested Manjappa and some others in connection with the case.
Protest
The relatives and the local people staged a protest outside the residence and demanded stringent action against the accused.
“We have registered a case of murder and are probing it,” said C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, Mandya.
