Telangana Court Sentences One to Death, Six to Life in 2018 Honour Killing

The 2018 murder of Dalit man Pranay Kumar, orchestrated by his father-in-law, highlights caste-based violence in India.

A Telangana court has sentenced Subhash Kumar Sharma, the contract killer, to death and six others to life imprisonment for the murder of Pranay Kumar in 2018.
Pranay Kumar, a 23-year-old Dalit man, was killed in broad daylight outside a hospital in Miryalaguda while accompanying his pregnant wife, Amrutha Varshini.
The murder was planned by Amrutha's father, Maruthi Rao, who opposed their inter-caste marriage and hired hitmen for ₹1 crore; Rao later died by suicide in 2020 during the trial.
The case involved extensive investigation, including forensic evidence and witness testimonies, resulting in a 1,600-page charge sheet filed in 2019.
The verdict has been hailed as a victory for justice, with activists and Pranay’s family emphasizing the need to deter caste-based violence in India.