A 27-year-old man has been arrested in Telangana’s Medchal-Malkajgiri district for allegedly murdering his pregnant wife, hacking her body into multiple pieces and throwing them into Musi river in Prathapsingarm. His wife headless torso was recovered from his room.
The accused was identified as Samala Mahender Reddy works as a bike taxi rider and resides at East Balaji Hills in Boduppal and is originally from Vikarabad. His wife has been identified as B Swathi, 21.
Samala married 21-year-old Swathi – a neighbour from the same village – in January 2024 at Arya Samaj in Kukatpally and the duo shifted to Hyderabad and lived in Boduppal after marriage, said DCP Malkajgiri, PV Padmaja.
PV Padmaja said, “Yesterday, we arrested an accused named Mahendra Reddy, who killed his wife due to domestic violence. The couple got married in January 2024 against the wishes of their parents and later faced domestic problems.” Also Read | ‘Vipin Bhati objected to Nikki’s Instagram makeover reels’: Fresh details in Greater Noida dowry case
“After a miscarriage, she became pregnant again. Due to some quarrel, Reddy strangulated her and when she fell unconscious, used an axe blade to commit further cruelty. Case registered under sections 103, clause 1, and 238 of BNS, equivalent to old IPC 302 and 201.”
Months after their wedding, Swathi had lodged a complaint at WPS Vikarabad, and a case under Section 498-A IPC and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act was registered. Subsequently, village elders held panchayats, and the matter was compromised.
From June 2024 onwards, the couple started residing in a rented house at Boduppal. During this time, Swathi started working at a call centre in Punjagutta. But, Samala Mahender stopped her from continuing her job as he was suspicious of her movements. Also Read | Gurugram man attacks community dog feeder, threatens him with ‘kaat ke phek dunga’
“In March 2025, the deceased conceived and was five months pregnant. Even then, frequent quarrels continued between them. On August 22 the deceased informed the accused that she would go to Vikarabad on August 24 for medical check-up and thereafter stay at her parents’ house. The accused did not agree and a quarrel ensued. The deceased abused him, and on the same day, the accused decided to eliminate her,” the police said
The accused purchased an axe in Boduppal and kept it in the house. On August 23 at about 4:30 pm, he allegedly murdered the deceased by throttling her. Thereafter, in order to conceal the evidence, he chopped the body into pieces and disposed of the head, hands, and legs by throwing them into the Musi River at Prathapsingaram, and retained the headless and legless trunk in his room, police said.
