A deeply disturbing incident of caste-based violence has emerged from the Pitapuram constituency in Andhra Pradesh, where a five-month-old baby girl was allegedly murdered by her own mother and grandmother in a horrifying act driven by caste prejudice and social orthodoxy.
The tragedy unfolded in Jaggayya Cheruvu Colony, where Shailaja, a young woman, had married Satish—belonging to a different caste—against her family’s wishes. Despite opposition from elders, the couple entered into an inter-caste marriage and recently had a baby girl named Yashwitha.
According to reports, Shailaja had been harboring resentment as her husband never took her to his parents’ home, and his family had not acknowledged their daughter or visited since her birth. Her own mother, Pasupuleti Annavaram, never accepted inter-caste marriage and wanted her daughter to marry someone from their own community.
Driven by caste fanaticism, a cruel and sinister plan began to take shape. Believing that eliminating the child would open the door for a second marriage within their own caste, the mother and grandmother allegedly conspired to kill the innocent baby.
On the night of the 6th of this month, the two women allegedly strangled the infant while she was sleeping. To cover up the crime, they disposed of the baby’s body in a backyard well. In a further attempt to mislead authorities and neighbors, they staged a scene of black magic by placing turmeric, vermilion, and lemons in front of the house and pretended to have no knowledge of the incident.
Police reached the scene and began an investigation with the help of a dog squad. The truth came to light during interrogation, revealing that both the mother and grandmother were involved in the child’s murder. Preliminary findings indicate that the grandmother’s disapproval of inter-caste marriage and obsession with caste “purity” drove the gruesome act.
Locals expressed anger and sorrow over the brutal murder of the innocent child, condemning the caste-based mindset that led to such a heinous crime. The police have taken both women into custody and are continuing the investigation. The case has reignited the conversation about casteism, honor crimes, and the urgent need for societal reform in India.
