‘I’ll Always Be His’: Woman Marries Lover’s Body After Her Family Kills Him Over Caste Conflict
‘I’ll Always Be His’: Woman Marries Lover’s Body After Her Family Kills Him Over Caste Conflict
Nanded: In a tragic and deeply unsettling incident from Maharashtra’s Nanded district, a young woman carried out a symbolic wedding ceremony with the body of her deceased boyfriend—just hours after he was brutally killed, allegedly by her own family members over their inter-caste relationship.
The victim, 25-year-old Saksham Tate, had been in a committed relationship with 21-year-old Aanchal Mamidwar for several years. Their bond, however, had become a source of escalating tension within Aanchal’s family, who reportedly objected to the relationship solely due to caste differences. Police sources revealed that Saksham was familiar to Aanchal’s family, as he had once been close friends with her brother, Himesh Mamidwar. Both men were known to have prior criminal records, authorities added.
Investigators say that Aanchal’s father, Ganesh (also known as Gajanan) Mamidwar, had recently discovered the relationship and reacted with intense anger. According to police, he, along with Himesh, another brother Sahil, and two associates, confronted Saksham in the Juna Ganj area on the evening of November 27. The situation quickly escalated into violence.
Eyewitness accounts and police reports indicate that a quarrel broke out while Saksham was standing with friends. During the confrontation, Himesh allegedly fired a shot that struck Saksham in the ribs. Moments later, he is accused of smashing a tile onto Saksham’s head, killing him instantly. The group then allegedly crushed his body with stones, leaving him dead at the scene.
Police acted swiftly, arresting Himesh, Sahil (25), and their father Gajanan (45), who were later remanded to three days of police custody. Six individuals in total have been charged under sections related to murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and the Arms Act.
But what followed the killing stunned the local community.
As Saksham’s family prepared for his last rites the next day, an inconsolable Aanchal arrived at his home. Despite the tragedy, she declared that she wished to marry him even in death. Witnesses told PTI that she performed traditional rituals, applying turmeric and vermilion to his body—symbolic markers of marriage in many Indian customs.
“Even if he is gone, I will stay devoted to him,” she said through tears.
“I want justice. Those responsible must face the harshest punishment,” she demanded.
Speaking to reporters, Aanchal explained that she and Saksham had been together for three years, but her family had repeatedly threatened him because they refused to accept the inter-caste relationship. “My father never agreed to us because of caste. He often warned that he would kill Saksham, and now my father and my brothers—Himesh and Sahil—have carried out that threat,” she said. She also expressed her intention to remain in Saksham’s home going forward.
