VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Mahila Sessions Court on Thursday awarded death penalty to a man who set his pregnant wife afire on June 15, 2019. The accused was identified as B Nambiar alias Sujith (35), a native of Jonnapadu village in Nandivada mandal of Krishna district.
In December 2018, Nambiar married M Sailaja (29), a native of Lingayapalem village in Koduru mandal of Krishna district. Sailaja worked as a teacher in a private school in Krishna Lanka, while her husband Nambiar used to work in a private college in Gudivada. The couple lived in different places due to their jobs. After a few months of marriage, Nambiar quit his job.
Meanwhile, Nambiar started suspecting his wife’s fidelity and used to frequently quarrel with her. He also threatened to give divorce to Sailaja citing the alleged extramarital affair with her colleague in the school.
On the night of June 15, Nambiar beat his wife Sailaja after an argument. In a fit of rage, Nambiar poured petrol and killed his six months pregnant wife by setting her on fire while she was asleep at her residence at New Hanuman Street, Krishna Lanka.
On hearing her cries for help, locals rushed her to a hospital, where she breathed her last. Following a complaint given by Sailaja’s father M Mohan Rao, Krishna Lanka police registered a case under sections 498 (A) and 302 of IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 against Nambiar and took him into custody. After hearing the arguments from both the parties and examining 18 witnesses in the case, the sessions court awarded death penalty to Nambiar.