HYDERABAD: A mutton shop owner who was accused of killing his wife was sentenced to undergo life imprisonment. The court relied on the dying declaration of the victim Sandhya, while convicting her husband Katika Ravi. They were in a relationship for over an year, before getting married in Medchal.
Though her parents had given `50,000 cash and other household articles as dowry, Ravi had been harassing her for additional dowry. When he asked `3 lakh additional dowry, her parents said they were helpless.
Ravi started torturing her physically and mentally. Unable to bear the torture, she went to her parents’ place.
Her parents and village elders called for a panchayat and settled the issue and she returned to her husband. But a few days later, he started harassing her again. On September 21, 2015, when she was in the kitchen, a can full of kerosene accidentally fell on her.
Ravi, who noticed this and taking advantage, set her on fire. She succumbed to burns a day later.
Based on her dying declaration, Medchal police registered a case under charges of murder, dowry harassment and arrested the man.
A charge sheet was filed and the case was put to trial. The II Additional District Court at LB Nagar after verifying the evidence, found him guilty and pronounced the verdict on Thursday.