Bettadapura:  A newly-married woman, who had gone missing, was found dead yesterday. She was allegedly murdered by her husband on the very day of their marriage. The duo had a relationship earlier and as a result, the woman was pregnant. The couple was forced into wedlock by village elders. The accused, however, denied that the child was his.  

The accused is 19-year-old Pawan alias Nagaraj from Lakshmipura tribal settlement at Periyapatna and the woman is 18-year-old Nagamma from the same village. Pawan was against his forcible marriage with her.  The victim was in the fifth month of her pregnancy, when he beat her to death with an iron rod. Nagamma was found buried at a hilly place near the tribal hamlet. 

According to the Police and villagers, both Pawan and Nagamma were in love from the last few years. About six months ago, when Pawan’s mother fell ill, he had asked Nagamma to do household chores. She was also staying with them. 

The duo developed physical intimacy and Nagamma conceived and was five-month pregnant. When Nagamma asked Pawan to marry her, Pawan refused. The issue ultimately reached Nagamma’s parents who informed the Panchayat. The village elders asked Pawan to marry her as he was the father of the child. 

Pawan, however, denied and claimed that Nagamma had relationship with another villager. Not buying his arguments, the elders, knowing well about their intimacy, asked Pawan to marry her and after much deliberation, village elders conducted their marriage ceremony on Oct. 10. 

However, Nagamma went missing the next day. Following a complaint from the victim’s mother Bhyramma, Bettadapura Police interrogated Pawan who later confessed to the murder. 

He told the Police that he had taken Nagamma to a nearby hill and hit Nagamma’s head with an iron rod. He then strangulated her with a cloth to ensure that she is dead. Later, he buried the body with some stones on the hill.  Yesterday, the body was exhumed for autopsy. A case has been registered and Pawan has been arrested.