Death Sentence In Pranay Kumar Honour Killing Case

The Nalgonda SC/ST District Sessions Court today pronounced its verdict in the 2018 honour killing of Perumalla Pranay Kumar, sentencing Subhash Sharma (A2) to death and six other accused to life imprisonment.

On September 14, 2018, Pranay Kumar, belonging to a Scheduled Caste community, was brutally murdered outside a hospital in Miryalaguda town. The attack occurred as he was leaving the hospital with his pregnant wife, Amrutha Varshini. The couple had married against the wishes of Amrutha's family, leading her father, Maruthi Rao (A1), to orchestrate the killing due to caste-based prejudices.

The police conducted a thorough investigation, filing a 1,600-page chargesheet in June 2019 that implicated eight individuals. The accused included:

- Maruthi Rao (A1)
- Subhash Sharma (A2)
- Asgar Ali (A3)
- Bari (A4)
- Karim (A5)
- Shravan Kumar (A6)
- Shiva (A7)
- Nizam (A8)

Maruthi Rao, the prime accused, died by suicide in March 2020, leading to the trial proceeding against the remaining seven accused.

The trial, which spanned nearly six years, involved meticulous examination of forensic evidence, witness testimonies and technical data, including CCTV footage. The court found all seven remaining accused guilty under Sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as relevant sections of the SC/ST Atrocities Act and the Indian Arms Act, 1959.

Subhash Sharma (A2), identified as the primary executor of the murder, was sentenced to death. The other six accused, including Asgar Ali (A3), received life imprisonment. Some of the accused pleaded for leniency, citing health issues and family responsibilities, but the court emphasised the gravity of the offense in its sentencing.

The case drew national attention, highlighting the persistence of caste prejudices. The court's decision serves as a stern reminder of the legal consequences of engaging in such heinous acts, reinforcing the rule of law and the protection of individual rights against societal biases.