Dr Priyanka, pursuing her MD at a private college, had been declared brain dead.
Enraged at being denied entry, police said, Daswanth and Edward drove of the mall and thrice hit the two-wheeler on which Dr Priyanka was riding pillion, with her colleague Dr V.V.D.
When the duo hit the car the third time, Dr Priyanka fell down and the car ran over her.
Telugu Desam social media condemned the comments on social media for distorting the comments of Dr Priyanka’s father.
After the death of Dr Priyanka was reported, a slew of political leaders, including Pawan Kalyan, expressed grief and promised strict action against the accused.
KAKINADA: Dr Kanike Priyanka, 29, a Hyderabad resident, died in a hospital on Sunday, nearly a week after she sustained grievous injuries when she was run over by a car driven by two allegedly drunk youths in Rajamahendravaram on August 3.
Her death was declared at 3.22 pm, police said. Dr Priyanka, pursuing her MD at a private college, had been declared brain dead. Sources said the family had agreed to donate her organs, though this could not be confirmed.
The two accused, Suravarapu Daswanth of Morampudi and Desabhakhtula Andrew Joseph Edward of Lalacheruvu near Rajamahendravaram, were initially booked for “rash and negligent driving.” It appeared that the police did not book the duo for drunk driving; Deccan Chronicle is confirming this aspect with the police.
The Prakashnagar police of Rajamahendravaram have since altered the case to one of culpable homicide. The duo is currently in judicial custody. The duo was arrested only on August 6, three days after the incident.
Sources said that the family of Daswanth was in the real estate business and was friendly with local MLAs of all parties. Edward was said to be a Class 10 drop-out and was running a business.
East Godavari district superintendent of police D. Narasimha Kishore said the police would approach the court seeking custody of the duo for interrogation.
Kishore said that on August 3 at 9.40 pm, Daswanth and Edward had quarrelled with the watchman of a mall at Rajamahendravaram. According to reports, the watchman had prevented the two from entering the cinema hall in the mall as they were allegedly drunk and failed a breathalyser check. Enraged at being denied entry, police said, Daswanth and Edward drove of the mall and thrice hit the two-wheeler on which Dr Priyanka was riding pillion, with her colleague Dr V.V.D. Sai Umesh driving the vehicle.
When the duo hit the car the third time, Dr Priyanka fell down and the car ran over her. She had been shifted to a local private hostel from where her parents shifted her to a Hospital in Hyderabad, where she died on Sunday.
Prakashnagar police arrested Daswanth and Edward four days later, and produced them before the court on August 7, which remanded them up to August 21.
In the interim, Dr Priyanka’s father K. Venkatesh, who was in Rajamahendravaram when her death was declared, told media that while his daughter had been injured and undergoing treatment in Hyderabad, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had bothered to inquire about her well-being and offer words of reassurance.
Telugu Desam social media condemned the comments on social media for distorting the comments of Dr Priyanka’s father.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister ordered stringent action against those responsible for Priyanka’s death and directed officials to provide ₹20 lakh financial assistance to her bereaved family, besides assuring them of all possible government support.
Opposition parties and social activists criticised the police action in the case and alleged that the accused had been booked under weak sections despite the seriousness of the incident. They noted that the accused had hit the vehicle of the victim thrice in quick succession.
After the death of Dr Priyanka was reported, a slew of political leaders, including Pawan Kalyan, expressed grief and promised strict action against the accused.
