The young woman from Warangal was found dead in a Hyderabad hostel where she had been staying while preparing for TSPSC exams.
Published Oct 18, 2023 | 12:00 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 18, 2023 | 12:00 PM
Marri Pravalika was a village girl who saw a future beyond getting married and having children. She died by suicide on 13 October. (South First)
The relatives of a 23-year-old TSPSC aspirant, who died by suicide on 13 October, have alleged that one Shivaram Rathod used to harass the young woman.
Edited videos of Pravalika’s mother and brother, reiterating the police version of what led to her suicide, went viral on Tuesday, 17 October. The videos were allegedly shot when the duo was brought to Hyderabad on the same day.
Incidentally, ever since her death, the family had rejected the police version of relationship issues with a boyfriend as the trigger for Pravalika’s suicide.
It was earlier alleged that Marri Pravalika of Warangal took the extreme step because she was disappointed with the delay in the conduct of the TSPSC exams. Her death took a political hue after Opposition parties accused the ruling BRS of shattering the dreams of job aspirants in Telangana.
After she was found hanging in her hostel at Ashok Nagar in Hyderabad, scores of students staged a protest against the BRS government.
Speaking to South First on Monday at her home in Warangal, Pravalika’s mother Vijaya had asked, “Is it a crime for young people to aspire to secure a government job? The rumours and character assassinations swirling around Pravalika won’t erase the fact that she was a determined and studious young woman.”
Even as videos of Pravalika’s mother and brother accusing Shivaram of harassing her, and seeking justice for the deceased, were widely circulated, Pravalika’s father appeared unaware of her relationship with Shivaram.
A police probe, too, is focused on Shivaram, with grounds being prepared for his arrest over charges of abetment to suicide, sources told South First.
Pravalika’s family, meanwhile, appealed to politicians not to make her death a political issue.
In the video being circulated on social media Pravalika’s mother Vijaya mentioned a man who was responsible for her death.
“As a family of farmers, we always wished our children should not go through the same struggle as us and we encouraged them to study in Hyderabad. My two children were studying in the city, but it seems that a man used to speak to my daughter and he is the reason for her to take her own life,” Vijaya is seen saying in the video.
The mother demanded capital punishment for the man.
“My girl has gone through a lot of pain and took the extreme step. The same should happen to the accused. The police should not leave him. They should hang him to death. My sincere request is, don’t visit us in the village. The politicians should not drag our family into politics as we have had enough,” she added.
Vijaya did not name the “man”, but Pravalika’s brother Pranay identified him as Shivakumar of Thanda in Mahbubnagar’s Kosigi.
“I am Pranay, younger brother of Pravalika. I used to meet my sister three times a week in Hyderabad. She was depressed since one man had been harassing her. Shivaram used to visit my sister at the hostel hostel and try to disturb her. She could not share it with anybody in the family and killed herself. Congress leaders are visiting us, telling us that the BRS government is responsible for her death. But this government will help us in punishing the culprit,” he said in the video.
The police said they were looking for Shivaram based on the statements of the friends of the deceased.
“We are searching for Shivaram. Her friends told us that he had cheated on Pravalika, promising marriage. A case has been registered for abetting suicide and cheating,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Zone) Venkateshwarulu told South First.
However, Congress leader Ramesh from Bikkajipally village said the suicide case was developing according to a script by BRS leaders.
“Pravalika’s family was taken to the local BRS leader’s office on 16 October evening. Later, when they returned, the villagers were angry with the father for moving out of the village. So the mother and brother were taken to Hyderabad to meet the BRS leaders. The videos being circulated are edited ones and they were told to blame one person and they are doing it,” he told South First.
“I am saying this because we are here in the village and the family never spoke about the involvement of a man in her death. Pravalika has died already, but games are being played on her death now,” he alleged.
