Dalit youth stabbed to death in Kurnool, honour killing suspected

A Dalit man was killed in Kurnool district after six weeks of his marriage with a woman belonging to other caste. The victim's wife alleged that her father and brother killed her husband.

Kurnool: In a suspected case of honour killing, a 35-year-old Dalit man was stabbed to death in Adoni town of Kurnool district on Thursday. The deceased, identified as Adam Smith, was a physiotherapist and was brutally attacked with iron rods and boulders when he was returning home from work.

Smith had tied the knot with Maheswari who belonged to other community. The victim's family alleged that Smith was killed as he was a Dalit.

Both Smith and Maheshwari belong to Gurjala Village in Nandavram Mandal block and were in love for the past eight years. When Maheshwari's parents fixed her engagement, the couple went to Hyderabad and got married.

When Maheshwari's family came to know about it, they threatened to kill Smith and warned them not to visit the village.

The couple had sought police protection after threats and even met Kurnool SP Fakkirappa and Circle Inspector Manjunath.

Smith and Maheshwari settled in Vittakrishtappa colony in Adoni after the woman's family told them not to visit Gurjala as it would be 'loss of face' to them.

After her husband's death, Maheshwari filed a complaint with the police saying that her brother and her father were behind the murder.

Kurnool police have registered a case under section 302, provisions of SC/ST Act under Indian Penal Code (IPC).