ELURU: A jilted lover hacked his childhood friend to death at Sathrampadu in Eluru town on Thursday, and later tried to commit suicide by slitting his own throat. He was rushed to government general hospital in Vijayawada where his condition is said to be critical.
According to Eluru 3 Town police station inspector Kagitha Srinivas, the deceased, Jakkula Ratna Grace (22), worked as a teacher in a private school.The accused, Thottiboyina Yesurathnam, and Grace studied in the same institution and were also childhood friends. Both passed out in 2023. Yesurathnam had asked Grace’s parents whether he could marry her. His offer was refused citing caste difference and his jobless status. However, both remained friends.
About a week back, Grace’s parents fixed her marriage. On Thursday afternoon, the accused reached Grace’s school and waited for her at the gate. When she came out, they walked together towards a Ganapathi temple nearby. When they reached the temple, Yesurathnam suddenly took out a cleaver from his pocket and asked Grace to kill him as he could not live without her.
When she refused and started screaming, he hit her on her head and neck multiple times. Grace died on the spot. Yesurathnam then tried to slit his own throat with the cleaver. Both the victim and the accused were rushed to the Vijayawada GGH. Doctors declared Grace was brought dead.
