VIJAYAWADA: Guntur Range Inspector General (IG) Sarvashresta Tripathi has placed Macherla town circle inspector (CI) Venkataramana under suspension following serious allegations of misconduct linked to an honour killing case.
The action comes after an internal inquiry reportedly established the officer’s involvement in handing over a young woman, Chowdeswari, to her parents against her will, an act that allegedly led to her death.
According to officials, CI Venkataramana is accused of accepting a substantial amount of money from Chowdeswari’s parents and forcibly sending her back to them despite her clear refusal.
Chowdeswari married Nagaraju against her parents’ wish on March 13. “Both were majors and belonged to the same community, but her parents opposed the marriage. Unable to accept the relationship, Chowdeswari’s father, Kamanaboyina Chandra Srinivasa Rao, filed a missing complaint at the local police station. The couple were later traced and brought to the station. Despite Chowdeswari expressing her desire to stay with her husband, she was allegedly pressured and handed over to her parents by the CI,” said the police.
On March 18, police registered a case stating that Chowdeswari had died by suicide. However, soon after the post-mortem at a government hospital, suspicions arose that it was not a suicide but a murder. Allegations surfaced that large sums of money had exchanged hands to portray the honour killing as a suicide.
The case drew public attention, prompting Palnadu district SP B Krishnarao to order a detailed inquiry. Additional SP Santosh led the investigation and it is learnt that Chowdeswari’s father confessed to killing his daughter.
Meanwhile, police arrested the father Chandra Srinivasa Rao and produced him in the court. It is also learnt that the name of CI is likely to be added in the FIR.