Anantpur: A 19-year-old State Bank of India (SBI) employee was killed at a secluded place in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh by her former boyfriend. The accused later set her body on fire. According to a report by IANS, two people have been arrested in connection with the SBI employee murder. Snehlatha, 19, was murdered and set on fire on Tuesday night at a field by the Dharmavaram-Anantapuram road near Badannapalli village in the district.Also Read – How Did Cyclone Gulab Get Its Name?

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, M. Snehalatha, was invited to the murder spot by one of her acquaintances (Gutti Rajesh) for having a conversation (but) with the intention of murder on Tuesday,” a police officer said. Upon reaching the appointed place, the accused choked her to death and later burnt her body with the intention of destroying evidence. Also Read – Cyclone Gulab: NDRF Deploys 18 Teams in Odisha, Andhra; Bengal Cancels Leave of Govt Employees

The victim’s mother, Lakshmi Devi, lodged a complaint with the police and pointed the needle of suspicion on Rajesh and his friend Karthik as they teased her daughter earlier. Also Read – Cyclone Gulab: IMD Issues Yellow Alert For Odisha, Andhra Pradesh

Incidentally, Snehalatha, a second-year degree student, started working part-time at the SBI in Dharmavaram from the past 15 days where she used to explained the benefits of credit cards to the customers.

She used to leave at 9 a.m. every day and return by 6 p.m. after work. On Tuesday as well, she called her father Kullayappa and told him that she would return but she did not.

When her parents called at around 7:30 p.m., her phone was switched off. After waiting for a couple of hours more, they went to Rajesh’s home and checked with him, to which he feigned ignorance.

Later, Lakshmi Devi lodged a complaint with the police. As the victim was from a scheduled caste community, the police invoked the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocity Act, along with IPC Sections 302, 201 and other relevant clauses.

Snehalatha’s mother is a tailor while her father used to drive a truck.

(With IANS inputs)