Priyanka Cremated in Native Village, Family Seeks Justice
The cremation was initially delayed due to the visit of officials and was held later in the evening.
Hyderabad:The mortal remains of Dr K. Priyanka, a postgraduate medical student who died after a hit-and-run incident in Andhra Pradesh, were cremated at her native village Eklaspur in Gadwal district on Monday evening.
Family members and colleagues gathered at the village with placards seeking justice for Dr Priyanka as her final rites were performed. The cremation was initially delayed due to the visit of officials and was held later in the evening.
Her father Venkatesh demanded the death penalty for those responsible for her death. The family said it would continue to pursue the case. Two persons, Suravarapu Daswanth of Morampudi and Desabhakhtula Andrew Joseph Edward of Lalacheruvum, have been charged with culpable homicide after they drove their car over the medico, at a mall in Rajamahendravaram on August 3.
"Initially, a case was registered for rash and negligent driving. It was later altered to culpable homicide. We want the accused to be booked for attempt to murder, and officials have assured us that necessary action will be taken," Dr Priyanka’s brother Varaprasad said.
He said the family had travelled from Hyderabad to Andhra Pradesh after learning that Dr Priyanka's condition was critical, fearing that local influence could affect the case or that the accused could escape. "The police assured us that the accused would be booked and that the evidence would be protected," he said.
Priyanka, 29, was pursuing MD DVL at GSL Medical College, Rajahmahendravaram. After the incident at the mall, she was initially treated at a hospital in Rajamahendravaram and was later shifted to a private hospital in Hyderabad for treatment. She died on Sunday afternoon. A post-mortem examination was conducted at Gandhi Government Hospital on Monday.
Venkatesh, who broke down while speaking about his daughter, said the family was originally from Gadwal mandal but had shifted to nearby Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh to facilitate the education of his daughters.
Varaprasad said the family had been following the practice of performing cremations on their farmland for five generations. "Priyanka was very close to all of us and was the only doctor in our family. We are struggling to come to terms with her loss," he said.
Sports minister Vakiti Srihari and former Congress MLA S.A.A. Sampath Kumar paid floral tributes to Dr Priyanka's mortal remains at Gandhi Hospital and consoled her parents. Srihari said the Telangana government would extend assistance to the family. Sampath Kumar accompanied the family when Priyanka's body was taken to Eklaspur.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had announced an ex gratia payment of ₹20 lakh for the family. He said the accused had been arrested and remanded in jail and directed the police to ensure stringent punishment according to law.
Telangana health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha also expressed condolences and urged the AP government to ensure a fair, transparent and time-bound investigation.
The Telangana Teaching Government Doctors Association (TTGDA), Telangana Junior Doctors' Association (T-JUDA) and Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) demanded strict legal action and a transparent investigation.
T-JUDA also sought the preservation and examination of CCTV footage and other evidence and said there should be no external influence on the investigation. The associations said they stood with Priyanka's family and colleagues and called for justice in the case.
