A 22-year-old Indian woman, Parul Sarviya, was allegedly killed by her 65-year-old mother and brother for rejecting an arranged marriage. 

The gruesome murder occurred in Ghogha taluka village of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat. 

The victim was m8rdered because she was adamant about marrying the man she loved, defying her family’s wishes. 

Police said the accused, Prakash and his mother Daya, were determined to marry Parul off to a man who agreed to a bride-swap arrangement.

This practice, which is followed in some rural pockets of Gujarat struggling with a skewed sex ratio, allows a man to marry only if his sister is simultaneously offered as a bride.

A year ago, Prakash allegedly caught Parul chatting with her lover on Instagram. Since then, he and Daya repeatedly rebuked her, warning her to end the relationship.

However, Parul remained firm and reportedly told them she would elope if they refused her marriage proposal.

On October 18, an argument broke out at their home in Bikda village, where the family worked as agricultural labourers.

Enraged, Prakash, who is a truck driver, allegedly stabbed Parul multiple times while Daya held her.

The two then hid the body near a well and later that night dumped it in an empty check dam. 

Daya allegedly wore Parul’s clothes to avoid blood stains and later washed the blood-stained garments to destroy evidence. 

Parul’s father, Himant Sarviya, who was unaware of the crime, told police that Prakash informed him that Parul went to relieve herself near the check dam and didn’t return.

The next evening, October 19, a passerby discovered a decomposed body near the check dam. Police later confirmed it was Parul. 

The post-mortem report confirmed murder, and police began probing the case. 

After gathering forensic and circumstantial evidence, including the murder weapon, police arrested Daya and Prakash on October 22.

A complaint was lodged at Vartej police station under BNS sections 103(1), 238(a), and 54.

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