According to the police, Sai Priya and the suspect Srisailam (23), a resident of Khila Ghanpur of Wanaparthy district, were in love for the last three years. When the couple informed about their relationship to their elders, both families objected.
Even as the couple was trying to convince their families for their marriage, Srisailam left to his native place recently and on Monday made a phone call to Sai Priya asking her to come to his native place on pretext of discussion.
Police said Srisailam introduced Sai Priya to the villagers as his cousin. The same day, he is suspected to have taken her to the hills at a nearby canal, where after an argument, he allegedly strangled her to death. With the help of his friend Shiva, the two buried her body in a secluded spot near the canal. They threw her mobile phone at an agricultural well.
Meanwhile, as Sai Priya was missing, her anxious family members lodged a missing complaint with the Mailardevpally police, who booked a case and took up investigation.
Based on a strong suspicion, Srisailam was taken into custody on Thursday and he confessed to the killing. Shiva too was held.