Medical Aspirant's Tragic End in Premeditated Honour Killing
A 19-year-old aspiring medical student became the victim of a brutal honour killing orchestrated by her own family members in Banaskantha district, with police investigations revealing the chilling premeditation behind the crime. Chandrika Chaudhary was first sedated with approximately 50 alprazolam pills before being strangled to death by her father and uncle, according to the detailed chargesheet filed by Banaskantha police.
The Fatal Sedation Plot
The investigation uncovered that the accused family members consulted two chemists from their community who allegedly advised them on using the sedative to render Chandrika unconscious. The chemists, who have now been made prosecution witnesses, assured the family that the medication would quickly make the young woman unconscious.
Sendha Chaudhary, her father, and Shivram Chaudhary, her uncle, purchased 10 strips of the sedative from a local chemist to execute their plan. In a particularly cruel twist, it was Chandrika's uncle, whom she trusted completely, who served her the milk mixed with crushed alprazolam tablets and stayed with her until she consumed the entire glass.
The Brutal Execution and Cover-up
After ensuring Chandrika was fully sedated, the family members strangled her using a dupatta and then staged the scene to make it appear like a suicide by hanging. The 1,700-page chargesheet documents how the family strongly opposed Chandrika's live-in relationship with Haresh Chaudhary and wanted her to marry according to their community's barter system instead.
The conflict escalated when Chandrika fled with Haresh in May, prompting her relatives and local police to trace the couple to Rajasthan on June 12. While Haresh was arrested in a pending prohibition case, Chandrika was forcibly returned to her family home.
On June 17, Chandrika sent a desperate Instagram message to Haresh stating: "Take me away. If you don't come, they will kill me." This prophetic message became her final cry for help.
Legal Proceedings and Community Deception
Haresh filed a habeas corpus petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking Chandrika's production. However, on the scheduled court date of June 27, the court was informed that Chandrika had died naturally on June 25. Meanwhile, her father and uncle told their community that she had committed suicide and arranged for her swift cremation early on June 25 to avoid public shame.
The comprehensive chargesheet includes three statements recorded before a magistrate under Section 183 of the BNSS and accounts from 114 witnesses that collectively support the prosecution's case of a meticulously planned honour killing. The document paints a disturbing picture of family members turning murderers in the name of protecting community honour.
