HANAMKONDA: For four children in Dharmasagar mandal, life came to a halt on the night of October 16. Their father lay dead, strangled with a chunni. Their mother, now behind bars, stands accused of killing him. The children, all below 15 years of age, wait in silence, unsure what the word “home” means any more.
According to police, Rajarapu Ashok, a daily wage labourer from Peddapendiyal village, was killed by his wife, Yadav Lakshmi, allegedly in a fit of rage following a heated argument, which investigators believe turned violent.
Ashok was reportedly addicted to alcohol and often accused his wife of infidelity. On that October night, Lakshmi allegedly used her chunni to strangle him, while their children slept in the adjacent room.
The Dharmasagar police have registered a case and are investigating.
Since the day after the murder, the four children, Chaitanya (12), Charanya (11), Nani (9) and Vishal (7), have been under the care of the Hanamkonda Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). All were students of the government school in their village, with their days filled with lessons, games and small quarrels. That life is gone.
Their mother is lodged in the Narsampet sub-jail in Warangal district. None of the relatives have come forward to take them in. Their paternal grandfather, Rajarapu Venkataiah, who lives in a small hut with his bedridden wife Yellamma, says he is too old and too poor to raise them.
“My grandchildren have not even seen their future yet,” Venkataiah told TNIE, his voice breaking. “I wanted them to study and stand on their own, but I cannot support them. I only ask that the government take care of their education and safety. If they go back to live with their mother, I fear what will become of them.”
Lakshmi’s parents, who lived in Pallagutta village of Chilpur mandal in Jangaon district, have passed away. Her uncle, who raised her after her parents’ death, also died a few years ago. Thirteen years ago, she had married Ashok. There are now no close relatives left on her side.
When TNIE visited the Hanamkonda ICDS office, officials said the children had been placed in care homes — the boys and the girls were placed in separate care homes — to ensure their schooling continued without interruption.
It may take 90 days for accused mother to get bail
“We have spoken to them about continuing their studies,” said District Welfare Officer J Jayanthi. “They agreed to stay under our protection. Their documents and school records have been collected, and we are ensuring their education continues without disruption.”
According to Jayanthi, the District Child Protection Committee members have interacted with the children and discussed their future. “The children expressed a wish to see their mother. Based on that request, officials arranged a mulaqat at the Narsampet sub-jail. During the meeting, Lakshmi was informed that her children were under the care of the child protection authorities and that their education would continue. She agreed and asked the officials to utilise whatever resources are available to support their studies,” she said.
Prison department officials have also provided contact details to facilitate communication between the children and their mother, should she wish to speak with them.
Jayanthi said that once Lakshmi is no longer under remand, the District Child Welfare Committee will review the case. “We will conduct counselling sessions with the mother and children. Their opinions will be recorded before any decision on custody is made. The priority will be the children’s safety and emotional well-being,” she added.
Legal experts say Lakshmi has the right to apply for bail. Senior advocate Mohd Sadiq Ali said if the accused or her relatives are unable to hire a lawyer, the court can appoint one through the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) panel, which provides free legal representation. “The appointed lawyer will apply for bail and argue the case. If bail is granted, she will be released, but the case will continue until judgment,” he said. If everything goes smoothly, she may get bail within 90 days, the lawyer opined.
He added that once the accused is out on bail, any decision about reuniting her with her children will rest with the District Child Protection authorities. “They will assess the nature of the offence, the mother’s stability, and the safety of the children before making a decision,” he said.
Earlier this year, a similar case was reported in Lingala Ghanpur limits under the Warangal Commissionerate, where a woman was accused of killing her husband. However, such cases, where there is no one from the immediate or extended family to take the children under their wing, are rare; an ICDS officer said.
Rare they might be, but the fact remains that the echoes of that one violent night in Peddapendiyal have left four young lives suspended, caught between a crime they did not commit and a future they cannot yet imagine.
