After her father and brother kill boyfriend, defiant Nanded woman ‘marries’ corpse, alleges ‘caste difference’ for murder

Videos of Aanchal Mamidwar “marrying” the body of Saksham Tate (20) at his residence on Friday, and her call for her relatives to be hanged for the killing, were widely shared on social media.

According to police, Saksham was standing with his friends in the old Ganj area on Thursday evening when a fight erupted between him and Aanchal’s brother Himesh Mamidwar.

Himesh allegedly fired at Saksham, with the bullet piercing his ribs, and then smashed a tile on his head, killing him on the spot, police said. Himesh, his brother Sahil (25) and their father Gajanan Mamidwar (45) were arrested soon after.

Nanded superintendent of police Abinash Kumar told The Indian Express, “We arrested two others, including the girl’s mother, later.” Kumar said that all parties involved in the incident have past cases registered against them.

“Saksham, who was shot dead, had 8 to 10 cases against him and had recently been released. Even Himesh and his father have several cases against them and had been externed from the area. They should not have been in the area,” Kumar said, adding that in couple of instances, Saksham and Himesh, who were best friends, were accused in the same case.

“Most offences against them were related to body offences (physically harming someone) and land grabbing,” the officer said.

On Friday evening, Aanchal arrived at Saksham’s house while preparations were on for his last rites. A distraught Aanchal then “married” his body, claiming it would make their love “immortal”. “Our love has won even in Saksham’s death…my father and brothers have lost,” she said.

Later, speaking to reporters, she sought capital punishment for her father and brothers for murdering Saksham, and said, “We were in love for the past three years but my father opposed our relationship over caste differences. My family often threatened to kill Saksham and now my father and brothers — Himesh and Sahil — have done it. I want justice. I want the accused to be hanged.” She also said that she would stay in Saksham’s house henceforth.

Police said the Mamidwars opposed Aanchal’s relationship with Saksham, but the couple’s refusal to end it finally culminated in the latter’s killing and a dramatic “wedding”.

The accused told the police that while their family was involved in criminal cases, they did not want their daughter to marry someone who was also involved in such activities.

Five persons have been charged with murder, unlawful assembly, rioting and other offences in the case registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Arms Act, an officer of Itwara police station said.

The arrested persons were produced before a local court, which remanded them in police custody. Further investigation is on.

The FIR was filed based on a complaint by Saksham’s mother Sangita, who works at a cloth shop in Nanded. In her complaint, she alleged that Aanchal’s family were against her relationship with Saksham because of his caste and her parents and brothers had been threatening to kill him for a month. But Saksham did not approach the police due to past offences registered against him, she claimed in the FIR.

Sangita claimed that on November 27 around 4pm, Himesh and others went to Saksham’s home, asking for him. His brother Shivam told the accused that Saksham was not at home, so they left the place, the FIR stated. But later they killed Saksham, the complaint said.

(With ENS, Pune)

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