Dubai: A 24-year-old man was brutally murdered in India on Friday, in an alleged caste killing. Indian Twitter users were shocked as they shared the story of Pranay Kumar and his wife Amrutha.
According to a Gulf News report, Kumar was killed in broad daylight in front of his wife, when they had gone to a private hospital for a check-up in Miryalaguda, a city in the Nalgonda district of the Indian state of Telangana.
According to the news website, The News Minute: “Pranay belonged to a Dalit Christian family... the Mala caste (a lower caste), while Amrutha is of the Vaishya caste (an upper caste).”
After realising that their marriage would not be approved by family members, the couple had eloped. They got married at the Arya Samaj in Hyderabad, in January 2018.
Indian journalist @iamKavithaRao tweeted: “... it was a love marriage... now Amrutha is expecting a baby, they were leading happy married life. But, he was hacked to death with a machete, in front of his pregnant wife and mother in Miryalguda #Telangana, honour killing being probed.”
Marriage promo of Pranay n Amrutha Varshini, it was love marriage 6months ago, now Amrutha is expecting baby, they were leading happy married life, but he was hacked to death with machete in front of his pregnant wife n mother in Miryalguda #Telangana, honour killing being probed pic.twitter.com/IOb63a1c9Q
— Nellutla Kavitha (@iamKavithaRao) September 15, 2018
The family believes that the gruesome murder was triggered by a wedding video that Amrutha had uploaded on Facebook.
Another Indian journalist @dhanyarajendran posted on Twitter: “A couple of days ago, Amrutha had posted a video of their wedding. The couple were threatened that Pranay’s murder video would have more views than her wedding video.”
A couple of days ago, Amrutha had posted a video of their wedding.
— Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) September 15, 2018
The couple were threatened that Pranay's murder video would have more views than her wedding video. https://t.co/lyZxdI980f
Many tweeps highlighted the increase in caste-based violence and honour killings in India.
Twitter user @scribe_it posted: “... Hacked to death by her parents because he was Dalit. How many more deaths will castiesm take?”
Pranay is a Dalit & Amrutha from “upper caste”.She is 7 mon pregnant but he is no more. Hacked to death by her parents because he was Dalit.
— Ravi Ratan (@scribe_it) September 15, 2018
How many more deaths will castiesm take? @thenewsminute pic.twitter.com/gTyIiKmzG3
And, @sunkannahcu tweeted: “Caste, religion and family pride playing its dominant role for centuries in preventing men and woman from exercising their choice in love and marriage. Honour killing is the product of the culture and religion that dominant castes practice. Pranay hacked to death by her parents.”
Caste, Religion and family pride playing its dominant role for centuries in preventing men and woman from exercising their choice in love and marriage. Honor killing is the product of the culture and religion that dominant castes practice. Pranay hacked to death by her parents. pic.twitter.com/vq8RbnG35d
— Dr. Sunkanna Velpula (@sunkannahcu) September 15, 2018
A shutdown was imposed in Telangana’s Miryalguda town on Saturday, September 15. Shops and business establishments remained closed in the town in Nalgonda district, about 150 km from Hyderabad.
