In the small village of Kerur, Nanded, a shocking incident has unfolded. A resident, Pandurang Kondamangale, has been arrested for allegedly murdering his six-year-old daughter Prachi in order to contest local body elections, barred for those with more than two children.
According to the Telangana police, Pandurang had twin daughters, including Prachi, and a son. In a chilling plot to realize his political ambitions, he decided to eliminate his youngest daughter. The gruesome murder came to light when the body of an unidentified girl was found in the Nizamsagar canal in Nizamabad on January 29.
A constable from Bodhan rural police station, upon finding no leads on the identity of the deceased, uploaded a photograph of the body as his WhatsApp status message and sought help from the public. The image was shared widely, eventually reaching police officers in Mukhed taluk, Maharashtra, who identified the girl as Prachi, Pandurang’s missing daughter.
The Bodhan police then contacted Pandurang, who they found to be giving inconsistent replies to their questions. Suspecting foul play, they traced his mobile phone’s tower locations and discovered that he had brought Prachi to Telangana. During interrogation, Pandurang allegedly confessed to the murder.
The present sarpanch of Kerur, Ganesh Shinde, has also been arrested for reportedly aiding Pandurang in planning the heinous crime. It is said that Ganesh encouraged Pandurang to contest the upcoming panchayat elections, due in about six months, but both realized that Pandurang would be disqualified as a candidate due to having three children.
Nizamabad police commissioner P Sai Chaitanya has confirmed the arrests and ongoing investigation into the matter. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the lengths some may go to achieve political power.
