A couple in Kutch, desperate to be together despite social barriers, killed a man in Bhuj to fake the wife’s suicide and elope.

Rami Ahir of Khari village of Kutch had an arranged marriage 10 years ago that ended in divorce. Rami, who wanted to marry Anil Gagal from the same village, could not do so because of social barriers.

However, to be together, the couple conspired Rami’s suicide and elope. Anil found a man with no family in Bhuj, killed him, and burned him on the farmland of Rami’s uncle-in-law.

Rami then sent a WhatsApp video to her family, committing a fake suicide. The old man’s body was used as Rami’s body by the couple. Anil also attended Rami’s so-called ‘besnu’ a day later.

After that, the couple fled to Bhanvad near Dwarka but lost their peace over their deeds. Repenting their sins, Rami appeared before her father and confessed to the crimes.

Rami’s father told the couple to confess before the police, however, the couple ran away, only to surrender to Khawda police a few days later.

Police, with the help of a local businessman near Bhuj’s Hamirsar Lake, where Anil had met him first, were able to identify the old man as 72-year-old Bharat Gandhi (Bhatia).

Khawda police have arrested 29-year-old driver Anil Gagal (29) and 25-year-old Rami Chad (Ahir) of Khari village.