A 32-year-old Dalit man was found dead by the Musi river canal near Pillalamarri in Telangana’s Suryapet district on Monday morning. The man, identified as Vadlakonda Krishna alias Bunty, was allegedly murdered on Sunday night, sparking allegations of “honour killing” from the deceased’s father.
Krishna, a resident of Mamillagadda in Suryapet town, had married Kotla Bhargavi from the Goud caste, a community classified as Backward Classes (BC) in Telangana, six months ago. The marriage reportedly faced strong opposition from Bhargavi’s family, which Krishna’s father believes could have led to his murder.
Superintendent of Police Sunpreet Singh told Indian Express, “It seems like this could be an honour killing, but we are investigating. There are a few cases against Krishna, and we are also looking into any possible rivalry. I cannot say more at this stage.”
Bhargavi, however, told the police that Krishna received a phone call from a friend named Mahesh on Sunday evening and left home, leaving his phone behind. Krishna’s body was discovered beside a two-wheeler without a number plate. His face was reportedly smashed with boulders, which appeared to be the cause of death. Inspector Balu Naik confirmed the identity of the deceased but noted that it was too early to determine the exact cause of death.
Krishna had previously been accused in a case registered in Suryapet town. His father, David, has accused Bhargavi’s relatives of being involved in the murder. “We are investigating this angle,” said Inspector Naik.
The Suryapet Rural police have filed an FIR and are gathering technical and scientific evidence. The body has been sent to the Government General Hospital in Suryapet for postmortem.
