A 22 year old woman, identified as YY has told police that her boyfriend, Pulla Morthala, assaulted her and repeatedly controlled her movements.
She said Morthala hit her in the face during an argument, ordered her to wash her injuries so police would not notice, and threatened to kill her and her family in India if she told the truth.
YY also alleged that he recorded private intimate videos without her consent and used them to threaten her.
YY further claimed that Morthala prevented her from speaking to friends, restricted her from leaving their home and physically abused her on multiple occasions.
She showed officers a recent bite mark on her shoulder, saying it came from another argument four days earlier. She also displayed text messages that she said were threats sent by Morthala while she was at the hospital.
The incident came to light on August 24, 2025, when police first responded to a distress call at a motel in St. Louis, Missouri.
Initially, YY told police she had injured herself. However, while under hospital care, she changed her statement and accused Morthala of abuse and intimidation.
Following her revised testimony, police filed a probable cause statement charging Morthala with second-degree and third degree domestic assault, both considered felonies under Missouri law.
