Jharkhand: Youth marries corpse of fiance, arrested for murder

New Delhi: A shocking incident has come to light in Jharkhand. A young man, arrested on charges of murdering a young woman, filled the parting of her hair with vermilion (sindoor) and performed wedding rituals before her cremation. The families of both individuals had already arranged their marriage. Following their engagement, the young woman had been living with her fiancé.

According to a report by 'India Today', a case involving the suspicious death of a young woman in Jharkhand's Giridih district took a bizarre turn when the young man—arrested for her alleged murder—symbolically performed wedding rituals with her body before lighting her funeral pyre. The families of both individuals had arranged their marriage just four months prior.

Were They Living Together After Engagement?

After the engagement took place, the accused, Manish Murmu, brought his fiancée to his home to live with him. The young woman's family alleges that, under the pretext of marriage, she was forcibly confined within the accused's home until her health deteriorated, ultimately leading to her death.

Did Father File Complaint?

An FIR has been registered in this case based on a complaint filed by the young woman's father. According to reports, Manish and the complainant's daughter had been living together for the past four months. When the young woman's parents allegedly pressured the groom's family to solemnize the marriage, they were informed on Friday morning that their daughter had fallen ill. Upon hearing this, they rushed to Manish's home and immediately took their daughter to a government hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead.

Why Did Both Families Refuse to Claim Body?

Upon receiving news of the young woman's death, the police arrived at the hospital and took custody of the body. However, a shocking twist occurred after the post-mortem examination when both families refused to claim the body. Perceiving that the situation was escalating, the police transported the body to the local police station, where it remained throughout the night. Later, on Saturday, the police took the body to Manish's village. Strict security arrangements were put in place given the high tension prevailing between the two families. Allegations of Beating and Poisoning
In a complaint filed with the police, the young woman's father alleged that Manish had brutally beaten his daughter and forced her to consume poison in order to evade marrying her. The father further alleged that the woman's death was a direct result of consuming the poison.

Did Police Make an Arrest?

Following the registration of the FIR, the police arrested Manish. Later that same day, after the police had intervened to restore calm, the young woman's body was finally brought to her home. At the insistence of her family, Manish was brought to the location under police protection. He then applied vermilion to his fiancée's hair parting and performed other wedding rituals before the final funeral rites were carried out.