Husband Gets Life Sentence for Killing Wife in 2018

Visakhapatnam: A Srikakulam court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for murdering his wife seven years ago, in a case delayed after the accused absconded for five years while out on bail.

Jeeru Venkata Ramana was convicted by First Additional District Judge P. Bhaskara Rao on Thursday for killing his 24-year-old wife, Jeeru Ramanamma, in Banam village in 2018.

According to district superintendent of police K.V. Maheshwara Reddy, the murder took place on March 14, 2018, following a domestic dispute. Ramana, who had suspected his wife of infidelity, had been living separately from her for nearly a year.

Ramanamma had returned to the family home to attend her father-in-law’s funeral. Later that evening, around 5.30 pm, the couple argued, during which Ramana allegedly attacked her with a knife, inflicting a fatal neck injury. She died on the spot.

Based on a complaint filed by Karnapu Neelamma, then Circle Inspector Y. Ramakrishna of J.R. Puram Circle investigated the case and filed the chargesheet.

After securing bail, Ramana attended a few hearings but later went missing for five years. Earlier this year, a non-bailable warrant was issued. Acting on SP Maheshwara Reddy’s instructions, a special team led by Andola Circle Inspector traced him to Guntur and arrested him.

The court found Ramana guilty under Sections 302 (murder) and 498-A (cruelty by husband) of the IPC, sentencing him to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of `2,000.