A 25-year-old woman reached a compromise with a man after she filed a stalking complaint against him weeks before he allegedly murdered her in Bengaluru by stabbing her multiple times in full public view for refusing to marry him over caste differences, investigators said.
The investigators said the compromise came after Leela Pavithra Nalamati’s family sought help through a police helpline meant for women in distress in their home state of Andhra Pradesh.
They added the family claimed Nalamati blocked the number of the accused Dinakar Banala on WhatsApp and called on the DISHA helpline.
Banala was arrested from the murder scene outside Nalamati’s office at Murugeshpalya in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Nalamati, who was from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, moved to Bengaluru around five years back and was working with a private healthcare management company. Banala belongs to Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.
“Dinakar and Leela fell in love five years ago. But the woman’s family was opposed to their relationship as Dinakar was from a lower caste. She informed Dinakar that her family would not agree to their marriage and that they should end their relationship as there was no future,” said deputy police commissioner Bheemashankar S Guled. “This angered Dinakar, who stabbed Leela at least 16 times outside her office.”
CCTV footage from outside Nalamati’s office showed Banala waiting outside before the murder. “Around 7.30pm, while she was leaving, he tried to engage her in conversation but she refused to entertain him. He took out a knife and in full view stabbed her multiple times,” said a second officer.
{{/usCountry}}CCTV footage from outside Nalamati’s office showed Banala waiting outside before the murder. “Around 7.30pm, while she was leaving, he tried to engage her in conversation but she refused to entertain him. He took out a knife and in full view stabbed her multiple times,” said a second officer.
{{/usCountry}}