Anger over a breakup and her family's decision to marry her off to another man allegedly triggered the murder of a 23-year-old engineering student in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra. Her boyfriend was accused of pushing her into a nearly 1,000 ft-deep valley.
The deceased was identified as Tarrannum Naik, a third-year engineering student from Gargoti. Her body was recovered below the Naikwadi waterfall in Bhudargad Taluka.
Police arrested her boyfriend, Sripad Vadar, 25, in connection with the incident. According to police, while questioning, there were inconsistencies in his account of the circumstances leading to her death.
Meanwhile, locals said that Tarrannum's marriage was fixed for November 12. Vadar allegedly told police that he and Tarranum had been in a relationship for over five years and had decided to die by suicide together after her family arranged her marriage to another man.
The incident came to light after Vadar approached a police station and reported that Tarrannum had fallen into the valley from a cliff. He claimed that she jumped, but he couldn't jump with her at the last moment.
A case has been registered under the Section 140 (3) of the BNS, relating to wrongful confinement. The police have seized their phones for forensic analysis.
The chat history does not support the account Vadar gave us about a suicide pact, said Vivek Patil, sub-divisional police officer, Gadhinglaj.
Further investigation is underway to determine whether Tarrannum jumped or was pushed into the valley.
A local court on Sunday remanded Vadar to five days of police custody.
The alleged murder triggered outrage in Gargoti, where residents marched to the police station on Sunday demanding a fast-track trial.
