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

Demands death sentence for accused who denounced the relationship due to ‘caste differences’

Written by: Chandan Haygunde, Manoj Dattatreya More

4 min readPuneUpdated: Dec 1, 2025 04:29 PM IST

Women performs symbolic marriage rituals with dead body of deceased lover (Express Photo)

A 21-YEAR-OLD Nanded woman chose to marry the body of the man she loved but was allegedly shot dead by her brother on November 27 and said that she would be staying at his house henceforth, police said. The woman told police that the family was against her relationship as the deceased man belonged to a different caste.

According to police, five persons, including the woman’s brother, father and mother, were arrested in the case. A minor involved in the crime was sent to observation home, while two other accused are yet to be identified, police said.

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.

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“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”.

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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.

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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)

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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