Woman Weds Murdered Boyfriend's Corpse in Ritual

In Maharashtra's Nanded district, a 21-year-old woman symbolically married the corpse of her 20-year-old boyfriend during his funeral rites on Friday, after he was allegedly murdered by her family members over caste differences the previous evening. Saksham Tate was shot and beaten to death in the Juna Ganj area on November 28, prompting widespread attention after videos of the ritual went viral on social media.

Police reports indicate that Tate, who belonged to the Dalit community and followed Buddhism, had been in a relationship with Aanchal Mamidwar for three years. Her family, from the Special Backward Class and identifying as Hindu, strongly opposed the union due to inter-caste tensions. According to witnesses and officials, the confrontation escalated when Aanchal's brother, Himesh Mamidwar, approached Tate while he stood with friends. Himesh allegedly fired a shot that pierced Tate's ribs, then smashed a tile on his head, killing him on the spot. Tate's body showed signs of further assault, including bludgeoning with stones.

Three family members were arrested shortly after the incident: Aanchal's father, Gajanan Mamidwar, 45, and her brothers Himesh, the primary accused,...