Rajampet, April 25: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly burnt alive by her parents and relatives for defying them and marrying a boy from Vaddera caste. Uma Reddy had eloped with her friend but came back when her parents “persuaded” her to.

The incident took place at Mallemvaripalle of Pullampet mandal in Cuddapah district during the intervening night between Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to villagers, Uma Reddy, daughter of B Venkat Reddy, a senior assistant in the Railway Kodur junior college, fell in love with Mallikarjun of the same village.

They belonged to different castes and feared their parents wouldn’t allow their marriage. After eloping a week ago, they stayed at the house of a relative of Mallikarjun in Bellary, Karnataka. Uma reportedly carried gold jewellery and cash with her. Her parents and relatives got wind of their whereabouts and brought Uma back with the help of the police on Tuesday, villagers said.

They allegedly locked her in a hut behind their house and set it on fire. Eyewitnesses said Uma’s body was reduced to ashes.

The parents claimed a short circuit caused the fire. The father said they were asleep when the fire began. He said they suddenly woke up, pushed their younger children outside and rushed out thinking Uma would have come out on her own. She didn’t and the roof of the hut collapsed on a screaming Uma as the parents watched. After his arrest, the girl’s father confessed to having burnt Uma alive.