In a harrowing suspected case of honor killing, a pregnant woman in her twenties was allegedly murdered by her father-in-law in the Dahegaon mandal of Kumuram Bheem Asifabad District, Telangana, police said on Saturday.
The victim — who belonged to a Scheduled Tribe community and was nine months pregnant at the time of the attack — was reportedly struck with an axe by the accused after he objected to his son’s marriage to her because of her different caste.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the father-in-law opposed the inter-caste union and allegedly carried out the attack over that objection.
The accused has been taken into custody; the motive is still being verified, and the investigation is ongoing.
Further development
According to newer reports, the police have initiated additional inquiries into whether other family members were complicit or present during the attack.
The authorities are also examining whether any local community dynamics or caste pressures intensified the conflict. (Note: detailed investigation outcomes are yet to be made public.)
Past examples of such crimes
Several earlier honor killing cases in India highlight the persistence of this brutal practice:
- In 2018, the case of Pranay Perumalla, a 23-year-old Dalit man in Miryalaguda, Telangana, who married against caste lines, ended in his murder. A court in 2025 handed the prime accused the death sentence, and others life imprisonment.
- In December 2024, a woman constable in Telangana — Kongara Nagamani — was allegedly hacked to death by her brother after she married a man from another caste.
- Another older case from Tamil Nadu: in 2003, he murder of Kannagi and Murugesan, who had married across caste lines, resulted in a long legal battle and convictions of multiple relatives.
These examples underline how “honor or caste-based killings continue to strike across different states and communities in India.
Why this matters
This latest incident adds to the disturbing pattern of violence where family “honor” is cited to justify murder, especially when marriages deviate from traditional caste or community norms.
The fact that the victim was pregnant and belonged to an ST community highlights intersecting vulnerabilities of gender, caste, and social status.
Authorities’ swift action in this case is critical not only to deliver justice to the victim’s family, but also to send a message that such crimes will not be tolerated.
Yet, the persistence of such incidents suggests that deeper social and structural changes are needed: greater protection for inter-caste couples, effective policing, community awareness, and legal enforcement.
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