Couple Set on Fire for Inter-Caste Marriage in Maharashtra, Woman Dies
In a shocking incident of violence over
an inter-caste marriage, a father set his daughter and her husband on fire in
Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. The daughter,
19-year-old Rukmini Ransing, succumbed to her injuries soon after. Her
23-year-old husband Mangesh Ransing is in a critical condition. Rukmini
was two months pregnant.
Mangesh and Rukmini. Credit: Special arrangement
The police have
arrested two of Rukmini’s uncles – Surendra Bharatiya and Ghanshyam Saroj – for
allegedly conspiring and aiding the crime, while her father Rama is at large. The couple got married
six months ago against the wishes of the woman’s parents and were living in
Nighoj village in Parner Taluka of Ahmednagar district – 60 kilometres from
Pune. Rukmini’s parents too live in the same village. Mangesh belongs to
Lohar community, classified as a nomadic tribe in the state. Rukmini, who hails
from Uttar Pradesh, belonged to a Scheduled Caste called Pashi.
Mangesh worked as a
supervisor at a construction site in the village and Rukmini, who had studied
till class nine, was a homemaker. Rukmini’s family are daily wage labourers who
work at construction sites. Mangesh suffered
severe burn injuries on his face and other parts of the body and is battling
for his life at Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital. His family told The
Wire that Mangesh had complained to the police about the threats that
he and his wife received from Rukmini’s family. His family claims the police
failed to take timely action... read more:
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