SRIKAKULAM: After strangling his former lover to death with a towel, a 60-year-old man committed suicide by consuming pesticide on Wednesday evening at a cashew orchard on the outskirts of Sandipeta village of Santabommali mandal.The Naupada police identified the deceased as Tippana Eswaramma, 50, and Chidapana Laxmana Rao, 60, both residents of Sandipeta village.
They said Laxmana Rao and Eswaramma were in love since childhood, but got married to different persons. Eswaramma got married to a person from Naupada, while Laxmana Rao to a person from the neighbouring village Lingalapadu decades ago. Eswaramma’s husband died of ill-health almost five years ago. Although Eswaramma has three children, Laxmana Rao took the burden of his ex-lover’s family after her husband’s death.
When they started searching for a bride for Eswaramma’s eldest son, she and her family decided to keep Laxmana Rao away from their house. Eswaramma had been staying away from Laxmana Rao for the past one year. Unable to bear the separation, Laxmana Rao started pressurising her to live together. As she refused, Laxmana Rao developed a grudge against her.
Observing Eswaramma was going to cashew orchard alone on Wednesday afternoon, Laxmana Rao followed her. He entered an altercation with her and strangled her to death with a towel at about 4 pm.
He also stabbed her with a sharp knife in the stomach repeatedly. As she died on-the-spot, he committed suicide later by consuming pesticide, the police said.