Elderly man gets seven years in jail for killing wife in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: An elderly man accused of killing his wife at Malkajgiri in 2018 was found guilty by the court on Monday. Dommeti Venkata Ramana (69) was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for seven years. He hit his wife Chantamma (55) on her face and head with an electric motor, killing her on the spot.

Police had charged the accused with murder (302 IPC) initially, but since the act was not predetermined and took place in a fit of rage, the court found him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (304 II-IPC) and pronounced the verdict.

The couple hailing from East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh migrated to the city to earn a livelihood. Ramana worked as a watchman in an apartment and Chantamma worked as a domestic help. Their younger daughter was disabled and had health complications, due to which Chantamma insisted that they go back to their home and take care of their daughter.

Ramana who was against this idea quarrelled with Chantamma frequently. On the day of the incident, when Chantamma took up this matter, he quarrelled with her and in a fit of rage, picked up the electric motor from the premises and hit her on the head. She received a severe injury and died on the spot.

He was arrested and a charge sheet was filed in the Court of XVI Additional District Judge at Malkajgiri. Based on scientific and circumstantial evidence, the court found Ramana guilty of his wife's death and sentenced him to rigorous imprisonment for seven years, besides imposing a fine of Rs 500.