HYDERABAD/RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Venkatesh, father of Dr Priyanka, who died on Sunday after battling for her life for six days, has demanded capital punishment for the two accused, Suravarapu Daswanth and Andrew Joseph Edwards, in the hit-and-run case that left his daughter dead.
Venkatesh approached the police on Sunday and recorded his statement. Priyanka, 28, was a native of Eklaspur village in Aiza mandal of Jogulamba Gadwal district. She joined GSL Medical College in Rajamahendravaram in February to pursue a postgraduate course in dermatology after completing her MBBS from Kurnool Medical College.
She died at a private hospital in Hyderabad on Sunday afternoon. She had been critically injured on August 3 when two men, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, drove a car over her while she was coming out of a cinema theatre on a scooty along with her friend in Rajamahendravaram.
Speaking to TNIE, Priyanka’s brother Vara Prasad said, “We spoke to the police in Rajamahendravaram and sought stringent action against the accused.”
He said Priyanka’s post-mortem would be conducted at Gandhi Hospital on Monday. The venue for her final rites has not yet been decided.
Speaking to the media after meeting police officials, Venkatesh said doctors had informed him that the car had run over Priyanka’s head. He alleged that the accused deliberately rammed the scooty three times.
Venkatesh said the AP and Telangana governments had so far not spent any money on his daughter’s treatment. He said he had faith in AP Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and minister Nara Lokesh, and expected them to ensure justice by directing the police to invoke stringent legal provisions against the accused.
Not accident, but criminal act, says SP
Venkatesh said police had explained the investigation and evidence to him in detail and that he was satisfied with the probe. He said local MLA Adireddy Srinivas had called him once to express condolences, but no other officer or politician had contacted him over the past five days.
Meanwhile, East Godavari SP Narasimha Kishore said on Sunday that the incident was not a road accident but a deliberate criminal act. Police have registered a case against the accused for attempting to kill Priyanka based on video footage and other evidence.
The SP said police had recorded the statement of Umesh, who was riding the scooty with Priyanka. He confirmed that the car hit the scooty three times, describing it as a deliberate and ghastly act.
“From the videos, it is clear that the accused deliberately hit Priyanka with the car. This was a brutal act and there is no question of compromise,” the SP said.
Initially, police registered a case under culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The sections will be altered after the postmortem report is received, the SP said.
Police have collected video footage and other evidence, prepared the case file and produced the accused before a judge. The court remanded them on August 6. The accused will be taken into police custody for detailed interrogation. The SP said the accused attempted to change the car’s number plate after the incident.
Naidu promises strict punishment
AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday in a post on X said, “Those responsible for Priyanka’s death have already been arrested and are in jail.” He added that the state would ensure those responsible faced strict punishment and police had been given instructions to invoke stringent sections of law