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Woman ‘marries’ boyfriend's corpse after her brother, father held for his murder over caste difference in Maharashtra
“Our love won, even in Saksham's death; and my father and brothers lost,” said Aanchal, who decided to live with his family as their daughter-in-law
In an extremely tragic end to a love story, a 21-year-old woman, Aanchal Mamidwar, chose to "marry" the lifeless body of her boyfriend, Saksham Tate, moments before his final rites, after he was allegedly murdered by her own father and brothers over caste differences in Maharashtra's Nanded.
“Our love won, even in Saksham's death; and my father and brothers lost,” said Aanchal, who decided to live in the Tate household for the rest of her life as their daughter-in-law. Eyewitnesses reported that Aanchal declared the solemn ceremony would make their love "immortal".
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The heartbreaking act was captured in viral videos that swept across social media.
Speaking to reporters, Aanchal called for her father and brothers to be hanged for the “cold-blooded murder”.
Aanchal had met Saksham Tate through her brothers, but their love affair faced immense pressure from the Mamidwar household over Saksham being from a different caste.
Also read | Opinion: On justifying caste killings in the name of family honour
Police said that after Aanchal’s family learned she was planning to marry Tate, her brother, Himesh Mamidwar, fired gunshots at Saksham, piercing his ribs with a bullet, and then smashed a tile or stone on his head, killing him instantly, in the old Ganj area of the town on Thursday evening.
Authorities confirmed the immediate arrest of Himesh, along with his brother Sahil and their father, Gajanan Mamidwar.
Police also noted that Saksham and the primary accused, Himesh, were once close friends and are both history-sheeters.
When preparations for Saksham’s last rites were underway on Friday evening, a distraught Aanchal arrived at his house.
In a dramatic ceremony, she applied turmeric to his body and applied vermillion to her own forehead, publicly "marrying" her deceased lover. She insisted that she married him because even though Tate was dead, their love remains “very much alive”.
(with PTI inputs)
