Rajasthan: Two murder convicts fall in love behind bars, granted parole to get married

The unusual case involves a woman serving a life sentence for murder and a man convicted in a multiple-killing case, both of whom met while incarcerated.

Priya Seth, also known as Neha Seth, and her fiancé Hanuman Prasad have been granted 15-day emergency parole by the Rajasthan High Court to solemnise their marriage today in Alwar's Barodamev.

Meeting behind bars

Priya Seth, a former model, is currently lodged at the Sanganer Open Jail, where she is serving a life term for murder. 

Hanuman Prasad is imprisoned in the same facility. 

The two reportedly met around six months ago and developed a relationship during their incarceration, which eventually led to their decision to marry.

Their parole has been granted specifically to allow the wedding ceremonies to take place, officials said.

A 2018 murder that led to Priya Seth’s conviction

Priya Seth was convicted in connection with the 2018 murder of Dushyant Sharma, a young man she met through a dating application. 

According to investigators, she plotted the crime with her then-lover Dikshant Kamra and another accomplice, Lakshya Walia.

The plan involved luring Sharma to a flat in Jaipur’s Bajaj Nagar, kidnapping him, and demanding ransom to settle Kamra’s debts. 

Seth contacted Sharma’s father and demanded ₹10 lakh, of which ₹3 lakh was transferred.

Fearing that Sharma could identify them if released, the accused allegedly decided to kill him. 

The trio stabbed Sharma multiple times, disfigured his face to prevent identification, and later dumped his body inside a suitcase in the Aamer hills. 

The body was recovered the following night, leading to their arrest and eventual conviction.

Hanuman Prasad’s role in a brutal murder

Hanuman Prasad is serving a sentence for his involvement in one of Alwar’s most shocking murder cases. 

In October 2017, he killed five members of a family, including four children, at the behest of his girlfriend, Santosh, a taekwondo player who was reportedly ten years older than him.

According to the prosecution, Santosh called Prasad to her house late at night and asked him to murder her husband, Banwari Lal. Prasad allegedly carried out the killing using a knife meant for slaughtering animals. 

When Santosh’s three children and a nephew woke up and witnessed the crime, she allegedly instructed Prasad to kill them as well to avoid being caught.

The killings sent shockwaves across Alwar and remain one of the district’s most notorious criminal cases.

Parole sparks attention

The decision to grant parole to both convicts for their wedding has drawn attention due to the gravity of the crimes involved. 

While the marriage is set to take place under legal supervision, the case has once again highlighted the complex intersection of criminal justice, prisoner rights, and human relationships formed within the prison system.