Warangal petrol attack: Hundreds of villagers gathered at Ravali home

An eerie silence prevailed in the tiny Ramachandrapuram village in Sangem mandal here as the body of T. Ravali (20) arrived here around afternoon on Tuesday.

Hundreds of villagers gathered at her residence to pay homage to ‘their daughter’. They were all charged up and emotional, demanding stringent punishment for the accused P. Sai Anvesh.

Ravali was doused with petrol on February 27 by her friend and batchmate Anvesh at Ramnagar in Hanamkonda after she allegedly spurned his love.

She sustained 70% burns and succumbed while battling for life, late on Monday at a private hospital in Hyderabad. The body was brought to the village on Tuesday for the last rites.

The girl’s parents Sudhakar and mother Padma wailed inconsolably. Scores of women joined them, hurling curses against the accused and seeking severe punishment for him.

Sarpanch Dilip Rao said he knew both the boy and the girl, who studied in the same school in the village, and added it was shocking to learn about the incident.

“Just because of Anvesh, many parents in the village have stopped their daughters from going to college since last week,” ZPTC member Veeramma said, adding that the incident has sealed the fate of other girls.

Mamnoor ACP G. Shyam Sunder said police in large numbers were mobilised only as a precautionary measure.

A police outpost would continue for sometime in the village. “The police department will ensure severe punishment to the accused so that it will serve as a deterrent to others,” he said.