Madanapalle double murder: Accused referred to Visakhapatnam mental care hospital

The gruesome homicide of two sisters from Madanapalle has sent the entire nation in a state of shock. The parents of the deceased, V Padmaja and Purushottam Naidu, had allegedly used dumbbells to kill their daughters on 24 January. During the initial probe, the couple reportedly claimed that their girls would come alive after the sunrise. Considering the mental state of the accused, the duo has been referred to the Government Hospital for Mental Care, Visakhapatnam, for comprehensive evaluation and treatment.

Earlier on Tuesday, the couple was produced before a judicial magistrate and sent to Madanapalle sub-jail on judicial remand. On the following day, a team of psychiatrists spoke to the couple at the jail. According to the jail authorities, Padmaja did not co-operate with the concerned professionals and refused to answer their questions. Though Purushottam Naidu replied to the doctors’ queries, he still maintained that his daughters would come back to life.

The doctors said that the accused have been suffering from psychic delusion with a fixed belief that Kalyuga is going to end. Presenting the psychiatrists’ recommendations, the Madanapalle sub-jail administration requested the local magistrate to shift the accused to Tirupati. In line with the magistrate’s directives, the couple was brought to the Ruia Hospital in Tirupati on Friday. To conduct a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, the doctors at the Ruia Hospital have suggested shifting the accused to Visakhapatnam mental care hospital to provide better treatment facilities.

Meanwhile, the social media posts of Alekhya, the elder of the two sisters, have been making the headlines for the last couple of days. As per the reports, it was revealed that she was a staunch believer in salvation and rebirth. Her social media posts give credence to one of the theories that she might have gone into a state of spiritual trance, which may have resulted in her murder and that of her sibling, allegedly at the hands of their parents.