Medical student strangled, set ablaze in honour killing in Maharashtra's Nanded

A 23-year-old third-year medical student was allegedly burnt to death in Nanded in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra - in what prima facie appears to be a shocking case of honour killing.

The incident was reported from Limbgaon in Pimpri Mahipal area, located an hour’s distance from the Nanded city.

The deceased was identified as Shubhangi Jogdand, a student of Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS).

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The Nanded police have arrested Shubhangi’s father, her brother and three other relatives for the crime.

Shubhangi was in love with a youth, which was disapproved by her family, which later engaged her to another man.

However, she informed him that she was in love with someone else from the village after which the marriage was called off.

However, the family could not take this and her father, brother, uncle and cousins took her to a farm on Sunday night and strangled her to death, burnt the body in the farm and disposed of the remains in a drain.

When Shubhangi was missing for three to four days, her friends started expressing concern and the matter reached the police, which summoned the Police-Patil of the village and made inquiries. Subsequently, detailed investigations were launched and they cracked the case.

“We have arrested five persons of the family and booked them under section 302 (murder) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy), destruction of evidence and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code,” Inspector Chandrakant Pawar said.

The Maharashtra State Commission for Women too have taken serious cognizance of the incident. "What has happened is a shocking and inhuman act. We have asked the police to take strict action," MSCW Chairperson Rupali Chakankar said.

Meanwhile, senior leaders including Baramati MP Supriya Sule and Deputy Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Council Dr Neelam Gorhe have condemned the incident.

“This is against humanity,” Dr Gorhe said.

“This is the land of Rajmata Jijau, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Savatribai Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar…this is shocking,” said Sule.