Andhra Pradesh - Karimnagar   

Youth arrested on charge of causing girl's death; student groups protest

Staff Reporter

Refusal to marry drove him to the extreme step

KARIMNAGAR: The Choppadandi police on Thursday arrested a lovelorn youth, D. Madhu, 20, for allegedly causing the death of a minor girl, Mamatha, 13, by forcing her to consume pesticide for not accepting his marriage proposal, in Ragampet village of Choppadandi mandal.

According to the Choppadandi Circle Inspector, Vidyasagar, the youth, a degree first year student, had been harassing Mamatha, who is related to him, for marrying him for the last nine months. On several occasions, Madhu, who hails from the same village, was asked to mend his ways by their family members. Both the girl's father and the boy's father had gone to Gulf nations for employment.

On Tuesday afternoon, when the girl was returning to her school after lunch, Madhu waylaid her and dragged her to his house in front of her classmates.

Forced to marry

When she resisted, Madhu slapped her and warned her friends not to interfere. At his house, he told the girl to agree to marry him. When she refused, he bought pesticide and forcibly poured it in her mouth.

After some time, sensing trouble, he put washing powder in her mouth to ensure that the girl vomited. When the situation went out of control, he took to heels. The girl returned home and informed her mother of the matter. She immediately shifted the girl to Karimnagar area hospital where she died while undergoing treatment in the night.

The police have recovered the pesticide bottle Madhu's possession. A case was registered under IPC sections 366 (a), 364 and 302 and the CI is investigating.

Widespread protests

The incident evoked widespread protests from all sections of society. Women's groups and student organisations raised a voice of revolt against the heinous crime.

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