Hotel Worker Murdered In Honour Killing

HYDERABAD: A 32‑year‑old hotel worker was murdered in an honour killing after the father of a woman with whom he had been in a relationship, along with another relative, tracked him to his workplace in Madhapur and attacked him with sticks and a knife.

The deceased, Senepalli Bhaskar, belonged to the Scheduled Caste community and hailed from Upparpalli village in Wardhannapet mandal of Warangal district. He was in a relationship with a woman from the Yadav community. Her family opposed the relationship due to caste differences and married her off to another man several years ago.

Bhaskar’s elder brother, Madhu, who lodged the complaint, alleged that the woman re‑established contact with Bhaskar after obtaining a divorce. “She repeatedly called and messaged my brother, saying she would bring her gold and other belongings and asked him to elope with her so they could get married,” Madhu said.

Another relative claimed that during the earlier relationship, the woman’s father had abused Bhaskar with caste slurs and attacked him in Warangal, forcing him to stay away from the village. The family alleged that the woman later shared Bhaskar’s location with her parents, enabling them to trace him to Hyderabad.

Police said a Dial‑100 call reporting a quarrel near Dhruva College, opposite Image Garden Road, was received close to midnight. Officers reached Sri Sri Suites, where Bhaskar worked as a cook, and found that two men had assaulted him.

Investigators identified the accused as Raju Yadav and his wife’s brother Kumaraswamy, both from Hanumakonda district. They allegedly travelled to Hyderabad, entered the hotel, enquired about Bhaskar, asked him to step outside and then attacked him before fleeing. Bhaskar was shifted to Kondapur Area Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Police said preliminary investigation indicates the accused believed Bhaskar was harassing Raju’s daughter in recent days. Bhaskar’s family strongly denied this, claiming he had been avoiding contact and that the woman had been pursuing him.

Following the incident, Bhaskar’s relatives staged a protest outside Madhapur police station, demanding that the case be treated as an honour killing and that all those involved be arrested. Raju Yadav and Kumaraswamy surrendered before police, while three other suspects are absconding. Investigation is continuing to establish the motive and identify all those allegedly connected to the crime.