Nizamabad teen held for hacking brother-in-law to death over sister's murder
A 19-year-old allegedly hacked his brother-in-law to death in Nizamabad, Telangana, claiming revenge for the murder of his pregnant sister, YouTuber C Vaishnavi.
A 19-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly hacking his brother-in-law to death on a busy street in Nizamabad town, Telangana, in what police describe as a revenge killing linked to the murder of his pregnant sister earlier this year.
G Santhosh, brother of Telangana YouTuber C Vaishnavi, was taken into custody after the attack on Thursday evening. In a selfie video circulated late on Thursday night, he purportedly said he had killed C Hari Babu to avenge his sister's death and that he was turning himself in. He also said he had waited months for justice.
Vaishnavi, 20, was found dead at her parents' home in Jagtial district on March 17. Hari Babu was the prime suspect and was arrested days later, before being released on bail in July.
According to police, Hari Babu had been selling corn since his release. CCTV footage showed him walking to a panipuri stall in Shivajinagar and drinking water. The footage then showed a white car stopping on the busy road and a man running across with a sickle. The attacker struck Hari Babu several times on the neck and head as he collapsed, and was later seen fleeing.
Vaishnavi and Hari Babu were neighbours who had married about a year before her death. In March, police said she had left his home over his alleged demand for additional dowry and returned to her parents' house nearby. According to police, Hari Babu came to fetch her and stayed overnight at her residence, sleeping in a separate room.
Hours before she was found dead, Vaishnavi posted a video announcing her pregnancy. "I am pregnant; the scan went well today. I am unable to make reels now, but will be back soon," she said in the clip.
Her mother later found her with stab wounds to her chest and neck, and police found signs of strangulation. Hari Babu was missing from the scene. Investigators and family members said he had been pressing her for dowry and resented her online popularity. Her videos and reels had drawn more than 50,000 subscribers on YouTube.