It’s a story that shows everything that is wrong with patriarchy: A man dumped his wife after abusing and harassing her for giving birth to a girl child. He then goes on to marry a second woman because he wants a male heir – and when his first wife questioned him for marrying again without informing her or divorcing her, he decides to thrash her in front of her family and his own toddler.
P Srinivas Reddy, a TRS activist, married Sangeetha four years ago. Sangeetha reportedly left his home a few months ago, unable to take the abuse and harassment by him and his family, all because she gave birth to a girl child. Srinivas then married again without informing Sangeetha or giving her a divorce. And when she came to confront him on Sunday, he beat her up badly.
On Sunday, Sangeetha along with her daughter, mother, and brothers came to Srinivas’ house demanding justice. Sangeetha attempted to enter the house to confront his second wife.
However, Srinivas stopped her from entering and forced her out of the house. Soon, Srinivas and his family members ganged up and assaulted her in full public view outside his house. A woman can be seen pulling Sangeetha’s hair as Srinivas slaps her and hits her.
Disclaimer: The video has violent content.
The entire incident was caught on camera. But the TRS man didn’t care that cameras were recording the incident – a video being circulated online shows at least one other person recording the whole thing on a cell phone.
The 1 minute and 35 second long video shows Sangeetha’s hair being pulled in front of her mother and her child, and even as she screams out in pain, the violence doesn’t stop.
As a crying Sangeetha tries to go inside the house once again, Srinivas grabs her to stop her once again, and then violently pushes her to the ground, where she falls face down and cries out in pain.
Srinivas then pushes out the two people who are recording the video – presumably Sangeetha’s brothers – and even assaults one of them. By the time the person with the camera gets back to Sangeetha, she’s on the floor and crying badly, as another woman – reportedly Srinivas’s second wife – tries to push him away from her.
Based on Sangeetha’s complaint, Medipally police have reportedly booked a case under Section 324 (voluntarily cause hurt by dangerous weapons or any means).
On Monday, he was arrested by the police and remanded to 14 days judicial custody.
According to reports, Sangeetha has filed a case of domestic violence against Srinivas earlier too, but it is not clear whether any action was taken by the police in that case.
(This article was originally published on The News Minute)
(Breathe In, Breathe Out: Are you finding it tough to breathe polluted air? Join hands with FIT in partnership with #MyRightToBreathe to find a solution to pollution. Send in your suggestions to fit@thequint.com or WhatsApp @ +919999008335)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)