Nanded: A woman whose visuals of “marrying” her lover’s body went viral after a caste killing in Nanded has alleged that two policemen were among those who provoked her brothers to attack and kill him.
Days after Saksham Tate, 20, was beaten to death over an inter-caste relationship, his partner, Anchal Mamidwar, 21, claimed that her brothers were encouraged by several people, including two police personnel. Anchal’s brothers, Himesh and Sahil; their father, Gajanan Mamidwar; and three others have been arrested for the murder.
Anchal told the press that her family had assured her and Saksham that they would accept their decision to marry. Anchal said she connected with Saksham on Instagram, not through her brothers. She said her family interacted with Saksham regularly, claiming that they were nice to him and convinced him “all is well”. Anchal claimed she and the deceased had no idea that “something like this would happen”.
Anchal, who is from the Special Backward Class, said her family told her that Saksham was a “Jai Bhimwala”--a term used for Dalits who greet each other by saying “Jai Bhim”. She claimed that her father had told her that if Saksham wanted to marry her, he would have to convert to Hinduism. According to Anchal, Saksham was ready to do everything to marry her.
She alleged that two policemen, Dheeraj Komalwar and Maheet Asarwar, provoked her brothers. She said her family members have a criminal record.
Speaking to the press, Anchal said, “Around 11am on the day Saksham was murdered, my younger brother took me to the police station and asked me to file a false complaint against Saksham. I refused. The cops told my brother, ‘You keep coming here after killing people. Why don’t you kill the man your sister is involved with?’ My brother replied, ‘Okay, I will kill him by evening and come to you.’” She asked how people could trust the police if they acted like this. She said Saksham also had a criminal record.
On Thursday evening, Saksham was with friends when Anchal’s brother, Himesh Mamidwar, started an altercation that turned into a fight. Himesh allegedly shot Saksham, and the bullet hit his ribs. He then smashed a tile on the 20-year-old’s head, killing him. Himesh, his brother Sahil, their father Gajanan Mamidwar and three others have been arrested. They have been charged with murder, unlawful assembly and rioting under BNS and sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Arms Act.
The next evening, as preparations for Saksham’s last rites were under way, Anchal reached his home and “married” his body. “I was in love with Saksham for the past three years, but my father opposed our relationship over caste differences. My family often threatened to kill Saksham, and now my father and brothers, Himesh and Sahil, have done it. I want justice. I want the accused to be hanged,” she told the media. She said she would live with Saksham’s family.
