Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Three family members get life sentence in honour killing case
A family in India hurt and killed a 17-year-old girl because she wanted to marry someone they did not like.
The girl's name was Vaishnavi.
Her parents and her grandmother said they would never allow it.
They told her boyfriend they would rather end her life than feel ashamed.
Sadly, she was killed and cremated a short time later.
Her boyfriend was very sad and tried to hurt himself because the police did not help at first.
This made the police finally start a case.
A judge listened to all the evidence for a long time.
The judge decided the family was guilty of murder and sent them to prison for the rest of their lives.
The judge also said the law protects people's right to choose whom they love.
An Ahmednagar district Sessions Court sentenced three relatives — grandmother Padmavati (80), father Sainath and mother Chhaya Garad — to life imprisonment for the 2022 murder of 17-year-old Vaishnavi Garad.
Vaishnavi, a Class X student and athlete, was killed because her family strongly opposed her wish to marry a 22-year-old man from a neighbouring village.
The court convicted the trio of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence under the Indian Penal Code, while a fourth accused was acquitted of all charges.
The family initially claimed the girl died by suicide, but the court said their behaviour after her death was 'wholly inconsistent with ordinary human behaviour'.
The detailed judgment was ordered to be sent to the Home Department to examine the conduct of three police personnel who did not investigate despite being alerted.
- Who
- Vaishnavi Garad, a 17-year-old Class X student and athlete, was killed by her father Sainath Garad, mother Chhaya Garad and grandmother Padmavati Garad; Sessions judge Shivaji B Kachare delivered the verdict.
- What
- The three family members were sentenced to life in prison for the honour killing of Vaishnavi, convicted of murder, criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.
- When
- The sentencing took place on Tuesday, August 4, four years after the girl was killed; the killing occurred around October 8, 2022.
- Where
- Sessions Court in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India.
- Why
- The family disapproved of Vaishnavi's relationship with a 22-year-old man she wanted to marry, telling him they would rather kill her than face dishonour.
- Victim
- Vaishnavi Garad, 17, Class X student and athlete
- Convicted
- Sainath Garad (father, former sarpanch), Chhaya Garad (mother), Padmavati Garad (grandmother, 80)
- Sentence
- Life imprisonment
- Charges
- Murder, criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence (Indian Penal Code)
- Acquitted
- One fourth accused
- Court
- Sessions Court, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra
- Presiding Judge
- Shivaji B Kachare
- Incident Date
- October 2022