Mancherial: Tension prevailed in Ramakrishnapur town of Mancherial district after the family of a deceased woman staged a protest demanding a refund of Rs 50 lakh dowry from her in-laws. The deceased, Lavanya, was married to Muddasani Suresh, a Singareni employee, in 2021. The couple, both residents of Ramakrishnapur, had been living separately due to marital disputes. Lavanya had been residing with her parents since the separation.
On July 16, Lavanya met with a road accident while travelling on a two-wheeler with her father Gandla Satyam, also a Singareni employee. The accident occurred near Appannapet stage in Peddapalli district, claiming her father’s life on the spot. Lavanya, who sustained critical injuries, died while undergoing treatment in Hyderabad on Thursday night. Following her death, Lavanya’s family brought the body to her husband’s residence but demanded the dowry amount be returned before allowing the funeral rites.
Police intervened promptly and shifted the body to RKP Area Hospital to prevent further escalation. Lavanya’s family continued their protest at the hospital, refusing to perform the final rites unless the dowry was refunded. With the body kept in an ambulance for two days, local police, including Mandamarri CI Shashidhar Reddy and other officials, mediated between the parties. The deadlock ended after both families reportedly agreed on a partial refund of Rs 20 lakh. The body was then taken to Lavanya’s native village, Odela in Peddapalli district, where the funeral was conducted.