Chennaiah, a 32‑year‑old painter from Srikakulam district, stabbed 19‑year‑old Mahalakshmi with a sharp weapon on Saturday in Vijayawada’s D. C. Nagar area, then leapt from a nearby roof.
Circle Inspector D Chandra Sekhar told reporters that the pair had been in a relationship and were discussing marriage; a disagreement over the proposal appears to have sparked the violence.
Mahalakshmi was rushed to a government hospital in critical condition, suffering serious neck injuries; doctors are continuing treatment.
Police are conducting a full inquiry to establish whether a rejected marriage proposal triggered the attack and suicide; no prior complaints or criminal cases were found against Chennaiah.
Neighbors said they heard shouting before the assault and witnessed Chennaiah’s fall; the incident has shocked the local community.