HYDERABAD: A 20-month-old love marriage between a couple from different castes ended in tragedy on Saturday evening after the husband brutally murdered his five-months pregnant wife, dismembered her body, and dumped the parts in the Musi river at Boduppal.
The accused, Samala Mahender Reddy (27), a cab driver who studied up to Intermediate, married B Swathi in January 2024 in spite of parental disapproval, and the couple later moved to Boduppal. Their marriage soon ran into trouble, with frequent quarrels and Mahender allegedly harassing Swathi for dowry.
The disapproval of their families, who belonged to the same village, further strained the relationship. In April 2024, Swathi lodged a complaint with Vikarabad police alleging dowry harassment. A case was registered against Mahender under Section 498A of IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Peace between couple did not last long
However, after intervention by village elders, the couple reached a compromise.
But peace did not last long — Swathi continued to face harassment and often returned to her parents’ home, only to rejoin Mahender later.
Malkajgiri DCP PV Padmaja said Mahender had pre-planned the murder. He purchased a hacksaw at Boduppal, kept it hidden in the house, and waited for the right opportunity. On Saturday, he left home at 11 am and returned at 4.30 pm.
Soon after, he strangled Swathi to death. Later, around 8 pm, he sent a text message from her phone to her mother saying, “We had dinner.”
Speaking to TNIE, Malkajgiri ACP S Chakrapani said Mahender then dismembered her body and made three trips over three-and-a-half hours to dump the parts in the Musi river at Prathapasingaram. His first trip was around 7 pm.
Suspicion and arrest
Later that night, Mahender called his sister and claimed Swathi was missing. Suspecting foul play, she informed their relative Govardhan Reddy, who advised Mahender to lodge a police complaint. Initially reluctant, Mahender finally accompanied Govardhan to the Uppal police station. They were then directed to approach the Medipally police station under whose jurisdiction Mahender’s house falls.
Sensing inconsistencies in his behaviour, the Medipally police grilled Mahender, who confessed to the crime. When a police team reached his house, they found only Swathi’s torso. He admitted to having dumped the remaining body parts into the Musi. Despite efforts by police, NDRF, and GHMC personnel, the remains could not be retrieved due to strong water currents and a depth of nearly 20 feet.
Police revealed that Swathi had earlier undergone an abortion but conceived again in March 2025. Quarrels between the couple continued, and on Friday, Swathi told Mahender that she planned to visit Vikarabad for a medical check-up on August 27 and stay with her parents. This led to another heated argument. According to DCP Padmaja, Swathi’s alleged verbal abuse during the quarrel became the immediate trigger for Mahender to kill her.
“Though this appeared to be immediate provocation, we suspect there are other reasons behind the murder. Mahender had forced Swathi to quit her call centre job after three months, as he was suspicious of her behaviour. We are investigating the case,” the DCP said.