Hyderabad: An 18-year-old nursing student, who was found dead inside her house in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, was murdered by her former lover, police said.

The accused was identified as Pawan Kumar. He was arrested on Thursday, October 1.

Harini was a final-year nursing student in Khammam. She had come home to spend Ganesh Chaturthi holidays with her mother and sister. On September 22, her motionless body was found in the bathroom.

Kothagudem Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) L Adi Narayana said that Pawan Kumar was Harini’s neighbour, and the two had been friends for a long time before their friendship turned into a relationship.

At that time, Harini and Pawan were minors and their families opposed their relationship. In 2020, the matter was taken up at a panchayat meeting, where both families agreed not to interfere in each other’s matters.

“Six years later, they rekindled their relationship. When her family objected, she blocked Pawan from social media and calls,” the officer said.

Her family did not approve of him citing his low educational qualification, and was seeking a marriage alliance for her.

On September 22, at around 3:30 pm, when Harini was alone at her house, Pawan knocked at the door and urged her to consider their relationship. She refused.

An agitated Pawan strangled Harini with a belt and fled the scene. Her body was eventually discovered by her mother.

Pawan has been arrested under Section 101 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sent to judicial remand.