VISAKHAPATNAM: A man battered his wife to death allegedly for refusing to breastfeed their child in a tribal hamlet of Chilakalagundi in Paderu mandal. The case is said to have taken place on the night of September 30 but came to police notice on Monday.
The man has been identified as K Eswara Rao. He is now in police custody.
According to Paderu (town) sub-inspector Rama Rao, Easwara Rao’s wife Kasulamma (25) had not been breastfeeding their three-month-old child for the last few weeks allegedly due to some health issues, leaving the baby dependent on milk bought from a shop.
Eswara Rao reportedly had several arguments with his wife on this issue. On September 30, he returned home from the weekly shandy and quarreled with his wife again. In a fit of rage, he picked up a stick and beat Kasulamma on the head several times, resulting in her death on the spot.
Police suspect that the accused was drunk. Sources said the couple earlier had two daughters who died very young. Kasulamma’s body has been sent for a post-mortem procedure.