In a case of honour killing, a couple from Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra was set ablaze by the bride's family over their opposition to inter-caste marriage. The woman died in the incident.
Rukmini Singh, 19, and her husband Mangesh Ransigh, 23, were torched her family members last week. Mangesh sustained 50 per cent burn injuries and is being treated at Sassoon General Hospital in Pune.
"Rukmini had 70 per cent burns and succumbed to her injuries on Sunday," a police official said.
According to reports, the incident took place in Nighoj village of Parnar taluk on May 1. The couple had got married in October 2018. Rukmini belonged to the Lohar community while Mangesh was from the Pasi community. Her family had earlier opposed their relationship and had threatened to harm the couple.
The police have initiated an investigation over the incident and have arrested Rukmini's uncles Surendra and Ghanashyam. The Ahmednagar police are yet to nab Rukmini's father Rama Bharati, who is absconding since the incident.
"It was a love marriage but most members of the woman's family were strongly against it. While Mangesh's family members were present for the wedding, only Rukmini's mother attended the ceremony. All this while Rukmini's family members had been threatening to harm the couple saying they were against the intercaste marriage," said sub-inspector Vijaykumar Bothre, who is investigating the case, reports The Indian Express.
Mangesh had told the police that a small fight happened between the couple following which Rukmini went to her parent's house on April 30. But on May 1, she called him asking him to take her home. After Mangesh reached her house, Rukmini's two uncles along with her father locked them up in a room and set them on fire by pouring petrol.
The severely injured couple were rescued by the neighbours who came after they heard loud screams from the house. They helped in moving the couple to a nearby hospital for primary treatment and from there Mangesh and Rukmini were then shifted to Sassoon General Hospital in Pune.
