Sister killed while pregnant, brother waits months – then hacks her husband to death - The Indian Express

A teenager ostensibly seeking revenge for his pregnant sister’s murder led to a grisly killing on a busy street in Telangana’s Nizamabad on Thursday evening. G Santhosh, 19, brother of popular Telangana YouTuber C Vaishnavi, purportedly confessed in a selfie video that he killed her husband, C Hari Babu, whom he claimed was responsible for his sister’s death.

“I killed Hari Babu. I took revenge for my sister’s murder,” he purportedly said in the video released late Thursday night, hours after he allegedly hacked him to death with a sickle. He also said he had waited for months for justice and was turning himself in to the police.

Vaishnavi, 20, was found dead at her parental home in Jagtial district on March 17. Hari Babu was the prime suspect and was arrested a few days later, before being granted bail in July.

According to the police, after getting out on bail, Hari Babu started selling corn for a living. CCTV footage showed him walking to a panipuri stall in Shivajinagar in Nizamabad town and having water. It showed a white car stopping on the busy street and a man running across the road with a sickle in his hand. The attacker hacked him several times on the neck and head as Hari Babu slumped to the ground. The attacker could then be seen fleeing.

In March, police had said that Vaishnavi had left Hari Babu’s home over his alleged demand for additional dowry. She had returned to her parents’ residence nearby; the two were neighbours who had got married just a year earlier.

According to the police, Hari Babu went to fetch her and stayed at her residence for a night, sleeping in a separate room. Hours before her death, she posted a video announcing that she was pregnant and hoping everything would go well.

“I am pregnant; the scan went well today. I am unable to make reels now, but will be back soon,” she said.

Hours later, her mother found her with stab wounds on her chest and neck, and police discovered signs of strangulation. Hari Babu was nowhere to be seen. Investigators and family members said he had been pressing her for dowry and resented her popularity online.

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More