CHITTOOR: In a gruesome incident, a youth waylaid a woman and stabbed her to death in broad daylight in the district on Tuesday for allegedly distancing herself from him.
Chittoor incharge DSP N Sudhakar Reddy said the victim Gayatri (20) and the accused Dilli Babu hail from Toorpu Palli village in Penumuru mandal.
They left the village on December 11, 2020 and got married against the wishes of their parents. Gayatri’s parents traced them two days after they eloped and brought them to the village.
After being counselled by police, Gayatri had stopped meeting Dilli Babu.
Bearing a grudge against Gayatri for avoiding him, Dilli Babu kept a watch on her movements to attack her. He waylaid Gayatri and stabbed her indiscriminately, while she was going to Penumuru on a two-wheeler with her kin, the DSP said.
Narrating the attack, Gayatri’s relative who was an eyewitness, said, “Gayatri was driving the two-wheeler while myself and our relative (a girl aged around seven years) were pillion riding. Dilli Babu who appeared suddenly, stopped Gayatri’s two-wheeler. He wanted to speak to Gayatri for a minute, but she refused. Angered by her refusal, he whipped out a kitchen knife and slit Gayatri’s throat. Later, he indiscriminately stabbed her with another knife. On seeing some passersby approaching him, Dilli Babu fled the scene.”
Gayatri succumbed to knife injuries while being shifted to hospital in Vellore of Tamil Nadu. Enraged by the brutal killing, Gayatri’s relatives attacked the house of Dilli Babu and set household articles afire.
Police rushed to the village and brought the situation under control. While the accused’s father was being shifted to police station for his safety, the relatives tried to attack him. But police thwarted their attempt.
A case under the Nirbhaya Act and Disha Act was registered against Dilli Babu. A manhunt was launched for the accused. Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy said the government would extend all possible help to the family of Gayatri.
Accused and victim got married
Dilli Babu and Gayatri left Toorpu Palli village on December 11, 2020 and got married against the wishes of their parents. Gayatri’s parents traced them two days after they eloped and brought them to the village, police said.