Death sentence in honour killing

In a landmark verdict vis-à-vis honour killing and khap panchayats, a sessions court in Nashik has awarded capital punishment to a man who had killed his pregnant doctor in 2013 for marrying outside the caste.

District and Sessions Judge Suchitra Ghodake awarded death penalty to Eknath Kisan Kumbharkar to Eknath Kisan Kumbharkar after prosecution proved the charges of murder and satisfied the court that it was a rarest of the rare case.

Kumbharkar's daughter Pramila had tied the knot with a man, outside the caste.

“This is a landmark judgement and would be a deterrent,” said social activist Krishna Chandgude, who had been pursuing the case.

There were 10 witnesses in the case.