Now, honour killings in Andhra

HYDERABAD: Honour killings came home to Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday night when two lovers were stoned to death by the relatives of a girl who had eloped with a man from another caste in Tadwai mandal in Nizamabad district.

The couple left the village nearly four months ago and returned a few days back to live in the same village. The girl's family could not digest the fact that she was in a relationship with a married man from another caste. They dragged them out of their house and stoned them to death as villagers looked on in horror.

The incident took place in Krishna Jiwadi village in Tadwai mandal. According to the police, the girl, S. Swapna Reddy (aged around 22 years) reportedly fell in love with S. Srinivas (32), a married man with two children.

Police said the duo fell in love a year ago. ''A year ago, Swapna went missing from the village and a missing case was lodged with the police. Swapna returned after three months and stated that she had gone on her own, and the case was withdrawn,'' Nizamabad superintendent of police Venkateshwar Rao told Express. At that time, no one was sure with whom Swapna had gone.

Five months ago, Swapna eloped once again and with Srinivas also missing from the village, Swapna's family suspected him to be her lover.   ''The duo came back a week ago and began to live in the village. Swapna's relatives today attacked them and stoned them to death,'' the SP said.

Police and villagers, however, were not sure whether the duo got married or not. ''We are yet to ascertain whether they got married after they eloped,'' Tadwai subinspector Vijay Kumar said.

Interestingly, Srinivas's wife was not against her husband's relationship with Swapna. A police picket has been posted in the village to prevent further flareup.