KAKINADA: Three women, including an 18-year-old, allegedly committed suicide in a fit of religious frenzy at Karapa, near Kakinada in East Godavari district.
Sources said Rasamsetty Satyaveni, 48, her sister Sathi Dhana Lakshmi, 45, and Dhanalakshmi’s daughter Vyshnavi Devi, 18, had converted to Christianity four years ago and had been devout, offering prayers every morning and evening, since.
On Sunday, they had celebrated Dhanalakshmi’s son Raghuveer’s birthday at the church, where religious discussions were held on the glories of God and on matters of life after death. On Monday morning, the three women had locked themselves in a room after telling Satyaveni and Dhanalakshmi’s mother that they would offer prayers to God to ward off “negative forces”.
When Raghuveer reached home in the afternoon and knocked on the door, there was no response from his mother and sister. When he broke open the door, he found his mother and aunt hanging from a beam while his sister was hanging from the ceiling fan.
