In a significant ruling, the Second ADJ cum SC/ST court in Nalgonda district, Telangana, has sentenced Subhash Kumar Sharma to death for his involvement in the 2018 honour killing of a Dalit man, Pranay Kumar. Additionally, six others were sentenced to life imprisonment in connection to the case, which had ignited widespread condemnation and highlighted deep-seated caste prejudices.
On September 14, 2018, 23-year-old Pranay Kumar was brutally murdered in Miryalguda town, merely months after marrying an upper-caste woman. The prosecution revealed that the murder was a meticulously planned contract killing, valued at Rs 1 crore, orchestrated by the woman’s father, Maruti Rao, and her uncle among others. They vehemently opposed the inter-caste marriage.
The accused were found guilty under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, and the Indian Arms Act-1959. Maruti Rao, the mastermind behind the conspiracy to eliminate his son-in-law, reportedly died by suicide in 2020.
The arrest also included two individuals previously acquitted in the murder case of former Gujarat home minister Haren Pandya. Pranay and his wife had married in January 2018, and she had openly accused her father of orchestrating her husband’s murder, bringing national attention to the case.
The verdict was received with mixed emotions outside the courtroom. Pranay’s parents expressed hope that the decision would serve as a deterrent against caste-based violence and discrimination. They stressed the need for societal change and greater tolerance towards inter-caste marriages.
Conversely, the scene at the court was marked by distress as the woman’s cousin broke down, insisting on her father’s innocence. She was subsequently asked to leave the premises by the police.
