HYDERABAD:G Reena Rani (26), the pregnant woman who was allegedly forced to consume acid a few days ago, gave birth to a 16-week-old still-born baby and breathed her last at the Gandhi Hospital here Monday.
Reena was admitted to the hospital on May 13 by her mother G Grace after her partner Nalla Narender (31) informed the family of her deteriorating health condition.
Police maintain the exact cause of Reena’s death could be ascertained only after receiving the Forensic Science Laboratory’s (FSL) report. However, the case-sheet of Reena at the Gandhi Hospital cites ‘corrosive acid ingestion’ as the cause of her death and points at ‘bleeding intestines.’
In her complaint to the police, Grace recalled her daughter’s words and alleged that she was made to consume an unknown liquid by two persons. The police had sent Reena’s viscera samples to the FSL after the doctors who conducted the post-mortem initially said they didn’t find signs of acid in the body.
According to Malkajgiri DCP R Rama Rajeshwari, Narender did not confess to administering acid to Reena when he was questioned last week. But he has been on the run ever since. “We will apprehend him soon,” Rajeshwari said. Sources, however, told Express he is already in custody.
Following Reena’s death, the police, who had earlier registered cases under sections 344, 355, 324, and 509 of the IPC against Narender based on complaints from Grace, added sections 302 (murder) and 376 (rape) of the IPC. This was done following a fresh complaint from Grace that her daughter was sexually abused.
According to Reena’s family members, she got divorced two years ago, and is survived by a three-year-old son Jhonson. She met Narender in August last and on Nov 3 the same year, he forcibly took her away, claiming he wanted to marry her.
Thereafter, the family had been in the dark about the duo’s whereabouts. Between then and May 13, Grace was able to meet Reena only twice.
“Before taking Reena away in Nov, Narender used to pick her up from home under the pretext of taking her for job interviews. She would return home late at night in an inebriated condition. He used to suspect her if she spoke to any other man. He also threatened whoever questioned him, claiming that his uncle was an MLA and he could trap Reena in a drugs case,” alleged Rakesh, Reena’s brother, adding that Narender had once even threatened him with a knife.
In her complaint, Grace said she received a call from Narender on May 13 that Reena’s condition was serious. “Narender handed me Rs 500, got us into an auto and said he will follow us. But he did not,” she said. According to the family members, Narender called up Grace again two days after Reena was admitted to the hospital and offered Rs 10,000 on the condition that they withdraw the case against him. Josh Govada, a family friend, told Express there were bruises all over Reena’s body, and also strangulation marks on her throat.
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