Online voices split after SC judgment on Pratyusha Case

HEMA SINGULURI I hyderabad

The Supreme Court’s long-awaited judgment in the two-decade-old death case of Telugu-Tamil actress Pratyusha triggered a wave of intense digital discourse on Tuesday. As the highest court in the land provided the final legal word on a tragedy that has haunted the regional film industry since 2002, netizens took to X, Instagram, and various legal forums to express sharply contrasting views on justice, judicial delay, and the unresolved pain of a grieving family.

The apex court’s decision centered on the affirmation of the conviction of the actress’s former boyfriend, Gudipalli Siddhartha Reddy, for abetment of suicide. Crucially, the bench rejected long-standing claims of murder and sexual assault, reiterating that overwhelming medical and ocular evidence established that Pratyusha died due to poisoning. In dismissing all appeals—including those filed by Pratyusha’s mother, P. Sarojini Devi—the court directed Reddy to surrender within four weeks to serve his remaining sentence, effectively closing the book on the official legal proceedings.

However, the closure in the courtroom did not mirror the sentiment on social media. By midday, hashtags such as #JusticeForPratyusha and #PratyushaVerdict were among the top trending topics. Many users voiced a deep-seated anger at what they perceived to be a narrow outcome for a life cut short. "A verdict can dismiss murder allegations, but it cannot erase the questions our hearts still hold," wrote one user on X, in a post that garnered hundreds of likes, reflecting a persistent distrust of a legal process that spanned twenty-three years.

In contrast, a section of the digital community, including legal analysts and influencers, praised the Supreme Court for its commitment to evidentiary standards over public sentiment. One LinkedIn post, widely shared among the legal fraternity, noted that the "court stuck to facts, dismissing sensational claims that lacked substantiation." Others pointed to the inherent tragedy of the timeline itself, noting that while the truth remains complicated, the intervention of the highest court finally offered a semblance of finality to a case that had remained in limbo for a generation.

The case dates back to 2002, when Pratyusha, then a rising star in her early twenties, was admitted to a private hospital in Hyderabad after allegedly consuming pesticide with Reddy in a purported suicide pact. While Reddy survived the incident, Pratyusha succumbed to her injuries the following day. Today, the verdict has reignited broader discussions regarding judicial delays in high-profile cases involving the entertainment industry. While the law has reached its conclusion, the debate unfolding online suggests that the public is still wrestling with the complex intersections of fame, tragedy, and the pursuit of truth.