Hyderabad: Troubled by stalking, woman kills herself

Hyderabad: A 24-year-old woman working at Begumpet reportedly consumed poison due to unbearable harassment from a stalker died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the city on Tuesday.

KPHB police booked a case against Rakesh Reddy and is searching for him. He had admitted the victim, Siddirala Jyothi, at the hospital and absconded.

According to KPHB police, Jyothi, was a native of Maisampally in Siddipet district. After completion of graduation, she moved to Hyderabad in search of a job and joined as a data entry operator in a company at Begumpet. She was living in a rented room in KPHB IV phase.

For the last two years, Rakesh Reddy, a native of her village, who works with a private internet service providing company, stalked her, asking her to marry him. Learning about this, her father, S. Laxman, warned him and asked him to stay away from his daughter.

Rakesh did not change his behaviour and continued to harass the woman by making phone calls. At around 7.30 pm on Tuesday, Rakesh and Jyothi met near a park in KPHB and spoke. At the same time, she spoke to her parents and younger sister over telephone, but did not complain about anything.

An hour later, Rakesh called Laxman from Jyothi’s mobile phone and informed him that she had consumed an unknown poison to kill herself and was being admitted to Anupama Hospital in KPHB for treatment. After that, he went absconding. On Tuesday noon, Jyothi died while undergoing treatment, said police.

Laxman told the media, “After my daughter complained about harassment by Rakesh, I warned him. Rakesh is responsible for her death and we demand that police take stern action against him.”

KPHB inspector K Laxmi Narayana said that a case has been registered under sections 354, 354 D and 306 of IPC against Rakesh and a team is on the job to apprehend him.