‘If I die, my family is responsible’: Love story in Gwalior ends in murder, stunned police watch man gun down 20-year-old daughter

By Wednesday morning, Mahesh, who owns a local hotel, and his nephew Rahul had been arrested for allegedly having killed Tanu after she opposed their choice of suitor. Police also impounded a country-made weapon and a .12-bore pistol.

Tanu, police say, wanted to marry another man. “They (Mahesh and Rahul) took it to their ego that Tanu was willing to proceed with a love marriage,” Additional Superintendent of Police Krishna Lal Chandani told The Indian Express.

According to the police, the family had “no opposition to caste or gotra” of Tanu’s boyfriend, whom she had become acquainted with during his visits to an aunt’s house in the same locality.

Although they originally agreed to the union, the woman’s family eventually arranged her marriage to an Indian Air Force officer and expected Tanu to break up with her boyfriend, who was unemployed.

Tanu’s wedding was fixed for January 18, with pre-wedding functions set to commence. Hours before the killing, however, Tanu purportedly shared a video on social media accusing her family of coercion and expressing fears for her life.

“I really love a man. We have been in a relationship for six years. My family said ‘yes’ to the marriage and then refused. They beat me daily and threaten to kill me. If something happens or I die, my family is responsible. They pressure me to marry someone else, but I can’t,” she purportedly said in the video.

This video allegedly triggered the violence that was to follow. Mahesh was known to the police, and the local Station House Officer called him to the police station.

“All the police officers knew him as a decent man. They explained that she was an adult. Mahesh told them he wanted to speak to his daughter and explain that the wedding could not be cancelled. The police officers agreed and followed him home,” said a senior police officer.

An officer who was sent to the victim’s home said the police team, including two women officers, decided to stand outside as Mahesh went in.

“It was the cousin (Rahul) who kept telling the father that their reputation was at stake,” the officer said. “He claimed if she were allowed a love marriage, all other women in the family would want to marry whoever they wanted,” the officer said.

Suddenly, they heard the gunshots, first allegedly fired by Rahul and then by Mahesh. The attack left Tanu with bullet injuries to her chest, forehead, neck, and face, leading to her immediate death.

As Tanu’s lifeless body collapsed, Mahesh allegedly turned the gun on the police team, and then turned on himself. “We got some family members to calm him down. Then we got him to release his weapon,” the officer said. “(During questioning) they kept saying that if she broke the marriage, it would have caused shame.”