Betrayed by blood and badge: More details out on "honour killing" of Choudeswari

HYDERABAD: A chilling case of "honour killing" has transformed into a major state scandal as forensic evidence and allegations of police corruption finally expose the truth behind the death of 22-year-old Choudeswari. What the family initially staged as a suicide has now been confirmed as a cold-blooded murder orchestrated by her father, Chandra Sreenu, with the alleged complicity of local law enforcement.

The tragedy began when Choudeswari married her lover, Nagaraju, on March 4, 2026, against her family’s wishes. After the couple was tracked to Narasaraopet, the Macherla Town Circle Inspector reportedly ignored the victim's legal status as an adult and her pleas for safety. Investigations now reveal that the Inspector allegedly accepted a significant bribe to forcibly hand the young woman back to her parents. On the night of March 18, after her mother and brother were sent away to the fields to clear the house, Chandra Sreenu and a relative used a pillow to suffocate Choudeswari while she slept. They then staged the scene to make it appear she had hung herself.

The breakthrough came on April 4, when the official post-mortem report definitively ruled out suicide, citing asphyxiation due to manual strangulation and smothering. Under rigorous interrogation, the father confessed to the killing, citing "family honour" as his motive. In a swift response to the growing public outcry, the Guntur Range IGP has suspended the Macherla Town Circle Inspector for his role in the illegal handover and his attempts to conceal the murder. Both Chandra Sreenu and his accomplice are currently in judicial custody facing murder charges, while the victim's husband has been placed under police protection amid ongoing threats.