Man deserts wife expecting baby with dark complexion

Tenali (Guntur): Strong disliking for baby with dark complexion has driven a man to desert wife much before her delivery. This shocking incident took place at Tenali in Guntur district. The victim, Padma, lodged a complaint with Tenali Two-Town police on Monday. According to the police, Pasupuleti Pridhviraj of Tenali married Padma just 10 months ago as part of Kundamarpidi (a tradition in Telugu culture where brother and sister marry the sister and brother of two families---a sort of marital exchange). Cracks began to appear in their marriage after three months. Padma charged her husband with trying to marry another woman. He was acting at the behest of her mother-in-law Padmavati and sister-in-law Jhansi Lakshmi who were bent on breaking the marriage. She alleged that Pridhviraj demanded a dowry of Rs five lakh to allow her stay with him. He wanted the money to invest in business, she said. Padma told the media here that her husband deserted her for fear of baby with dark complexion. Doctors had already informed her on the possible date of delivery. She was expecting a baby within three days. But her husband's disliking for dark skin baby was a deadly blow to the pregnant woman as she could not guarantee her husband on baby's colour. She was concerned over the future of the expected baby if it happens to be of dark complexion. The baby might not get parental love from father, she lamented. If he was so much particular on baby's colour why should he marry her in spite of her dark complexion, she questioned. Pridhiviraj dismissed the allegations levelled against him. He said Padma had employed goons who manhandled him and his mother. A case was pending in Guntur in this connection. She was absent for the counselling offered by the Guntur police to save the marriage. She took away furniture and household articles given to the couple during marriage. He denied any demand for dowry. Tenali Circle Inspector Antoni Raju said a case was registered against Pridhviraj based on the complaint given by Padma. The police were investigating, he said.