Honour and life: Madhavi defies death, shuts out dad

HYDERABAD: She stared death in the face and clawed her way back to life. But after her miraculous recovery, gritty 20-year-old Madhavi is sure of one thing – she never wants to speak to or set eyes on her father, who wielded the deadly sickle that scarred her for life.

Nearly a month after she was attacked by her father Manohara Chary because she married a Dalit man, B Sandeep, Madhavi still shudders with horror when she recounts the shocking day when the man who gave her birth tried to take her life. “He gave me life, took care of me and gave me everything, but never understood my feeling and emotions. I will never see him or speak to him,” Madhavi said in a low voice choking with emotion.



“The first thing I wanted to see was my left hand when I gained consciousness as last thing I remembered was this hand being nearly amputated and hanging by the skin,” she said, as she struggled to speak due to facial weakness.

She is also shocked that her mother and brother, who visited her twice in October while she was undergoing treatment, were more concerned about protecting her father than her well-being.

“They said my father should not be punished and that everything depends on my statement in court. I didn’t speak to them,” she said.

Recalling that fateful day, Madhavi said her father called her to meet him on the pretext of giving her clothes and certificates, which she had left at home. She never expected that he would launch a deadly attack on her. “When we got married secretly on September 12, I left all my certificates, ID proof and clothes at home. He said he wanted to give back all my things. I have no memory of what he said while he attacked me as I went numb,” she added. The terror still visible on her face.