"Dad Wanted Me To Abort Baby": Telangana Woman After Husband's Murder

A young woman from Telangana whose husband was murdered in front of her, allegedly by her family, today said her family had neither approved of the marriage, nor the fact that she was pregnant. Her father, she said, had advised her to abort the baby.

The murder of Pranay Kumar in the premises of a hospital, where the couple had come for a check-up on Friday, has shocked the country.

In a CCTV footage from the hospital, the 23-year-old was seen walking out with his wife, when a man with a machete attacked him in broad daylight. He was hit on the head and as he collapsed on the roadside, the man vanished. 

Amruthavarshini, whose father and uncle have been arrested for the murder, said, "My father said, 'you abort the baby now. Live with him (Pranay) for 2-3 years, after that I will accept the marriage'."

Pranay Kumar belonged to a so-called lower caste. The couple, who knew each other since school, decided to get married even though their families were vehemently against it.

"We were always apprehensive that there is a threat from my family and even went into hiding for some time, but did not anticipate cold blooded murder," said the young woman, who is suffering from trauma and has been admitted to a hospital. "I did not ask them to accept my marriage. Why did they do this to me?" she said.

Amruthavarshini 's father Maruthi Rao and uncle Shravan have been taken into custody. The police suspect they may have hired the contract killer.

"I have no intention of aborting my baby. Pranay's baby is my future...he was such a nice person. He looked after me so well, especially after I became pregnant. I don't know why caste is so important in this time and age," said the 22-year-old. 

Pranay Kumar's murder is similar to a case from Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur, where a man was killed in front of his wife two years ago. The woman's father and few relatives were convicted.

Rights activists are holding protests against the murder of Pranay Kumar. "We talk about being a developed, cultured society but even now we see a brutal murder in the name of caste. What have they achieved except for cruelly separating the couple?" one of the activists told NDTV.