Passion murders on the rise in AP

Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
17th dec 2008
Murders of young women by insecure and jealous lovers and husbands are on the rise in the state.
Extra-marital affairs and sexual jealousy are the motives for many murders but nowadays, the insecurity caused by the career growth of women are also provoking lovers to kill them.
There has also been an increase in the number of men killing their wives or girlfriends and later committing suicide.
Apart from dowry harassment related killings, at least 720 women are murdered in the state every year.
According to State Crime Records Bureau, around 641 suspicious deaths as well as suicide attempts of women occur every year. Most of them happen within seven years of marriage.
“Several such incidents have occurred in Madhapur and Rajendranagar areas where the women were earning more than their husbands or live-in partners,” said an official of Cyberabad police. “In the IT sector, women are earning really well.” On February 9, 2007, TV news reader and anchor B. Lakshmi Sujatha was killed by her boyfriend Chandrashekar alias Chandu. The incident was similar to the death of Bhargavi.
“In Vijayawada too a TV news reader was murdered in similar way,” said Mr Umapathy, inspector-general of the CID (Women Protection Cell). “Career growth of women makes male partners jealous.” “When the woman gets recognition, new people come to their lives,” said a senior police officer of DIG rank. “Their old acquaintances become burden to them. As they move up the ladder, the old male partner becomes restless and sometimes resorts to extreme steps.” Murders of women are reported mostly from Guntur, Mahbubnagar, Hyderabad and Cyberabad. There are also instances where petty quarrels lead to sudden provocation and killings.