An 18-year-old woman from Banaskantha district in Gujarat was allegedly murdered by her own family in what police suspect to be a case of honour killing, just days after she had successfully cleared the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) — an achievement that could have paved the way for a career in medicine. Her final hours were marked by desperation and fear, as reflected in her last message to her boyfriend:
"Come and take me away, otherwise my family will get me married against my will. If I refuse, they will kill me. Save me."
The young woman had been in a live-in relationship, a fact her family reportedly opposed. In the hours before her death on June 24, she sent multiple urgent messages to her partner, expressing concern that her family was planning to force her into marriage. Unfortunately, her pleas went unanswered. Her partner was in jail at the time and unable to intervene. By the time he learned of her situation, it was already too late.
Police investigations have revealed a disturbing sequence of events. According to officials, the woman was staying at the home of her uncle Shivrambhai Patel in Dantiya village, Tharad, on the night of June 24. There, she was allegedly given a glass of milk laced with sleeping pills. Once she became unconscious, both her uncle and her father, Sendhabhai Patel, were accused of strangling her to death. To cover up the crime, they allegedly conducted her last rites the following morning.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on August 6, following a complaint filed by her live-in partner after his release from jail. The FIR names her father and uncle as the prime suspects, citing the family's opposition to her relationship as the motive. Police have arrested Shivrambhai, while her father remains on the run.
Tragically, the victim’s partner had earlier filed a habeas corpus petition in court, seeking her release from what he believed was unlawful confinement by her family. The hearing was scheduled for June 27. But on June 25 — two days before the hearing — he was informed that she had already been killed on June 24.
While her life was cut short in a brutal manner, her academic achievement stood as a testament to her determination. Police confirmed she had cleared the NEET exam with commendable marks earlier in the year. It remains unclear whether she had planned to become a doctor or a nurse, but her results suggested a promising academic future that will now never be realised.
Authorities continue to search for her father, and the case has reignited discussions about honour killings and societal pressures on young women in parts of India. For those who knew her, the tragedy is not just the loss of a young life, but the silencing of a future that had only just begun to unfold.
