‘Married against family’s wishes’: MP man beaten to death with sticks, axe by in-laws, case registered against 4

BHOPAL: A young man who married against his wife's family's wishes was beaten to death in Harsi village of Gwalior district.The deceased, Omprakash Batham (25), son of Devilal Batham, had married Shivani Ojha through a court marriage in January 2025.

Since then, the couple had been living in Dabra.SP Dharamveer Yadav said that though both families belong to the OBC category, the girl's family was opposed to the relationship for some issues. "They had even registered multiple cases against him when she was a minor. By the time he returned from jail, she had turned major, and despite resistance from her family, they got married," Yadav told TOI.On August 19, Omprakash returned to Harsi with his wife to visit his ailing mother.

During the visit, he went to the girl's house to convince her family to accept the marriage. Instead, he was allegedly attacked with sticks and an axe by her relatives, said the SP.Seriously injured, Omprakash was admitted to a hospital in Gwalior, where he died during treatment on Sunday.Police said an FIR was registered on August 19 against Dwarika Prasad Ojha, Raju Ojha, Uma Ojha, and Sandeep Sharma for assault. Following Omprakash's death, the charges will now be converted to murder.

The incident sparked protests, with villagers blocking roads outside Belgadha and Bhitarwar police stations, demanding strict action.According to police, Omprakash and Shivani had earlier eloped in 2023. After Shivani expressed her wish to live with him, the couple stayed at different places before marrying in court this year and settling in Dabra.