Overview

• Om Prakash Batham, 25, died after being attacked on August 19 in Harsi village in Gwalior district.
• Police upgraded an initial assault case to murder following his death and identified 12 accused, including relatives of his wife.
• Officers say the attack was led by Shivani Jha’s father, Dwarka Prasad Jha, who is absconding.
• The Harsi panchayat had earlier fined Batham ₹51,000 and ordered a social boycott over the inter-caste marriage.
• The couple eloped in 2023 and formalized their marriage in January; Shivani was injured when she tried to intervene during the assault.