In Banaskantha, Gujarat, 18-year-old Chandrika Chaudhary, who had cleared NEET and aspired to become a doctor, was allegedly murdered by her father and uncle in a shocking honour killing. Her decision to live with her boyfriend and pursue her education conflicted with her family’s strict notions of “honour.” Days before a court hearing on her freedom, Chandrika sent a desperate message to her partner, warning that her family might force her into marriage or even kill her. Tragically, her fears were realized when her father and uncle allegedly sedated her with milk and strangled her with a dupatta, staging her death as a suicide and conducting a rushed cremation that bypassed traditional rituals.
Police have arrested Chandrika’s uncle and a cousin, while her father remains at large, with an ongoing investigation spurred by her boyfriend’s complaint.
