Life-Term Convicts Fall In Love Behind Bars, Granted Parole To Tie the Knot In Rajasthan

In an extraordinary real-life story blending crime and romance, two convicts serving life imprisonment in separate murder cases have been granted temporary release to get married in Rajasthan. The couple, whose relationship began while they were lodged in an open prison, will be out on a 15-day parole following approval from authorities.

The woman, 31-year-old Priya Seth, was convicted in the widely reported 2023 Jaipur Tinder-suitcase murder case. Her partner, 29-year-old Hanuman Prasad, is serving a life sentence for the 2017 killing of a man, his three sons and a nephew in Alwar, a crime linked to an extramarital affair.

According to reports, the parole was approved by the District Parole Advisory Committee after directions from the Rajasthan High Court. The couple was released earlier this week, with their wedding planned in Barodameo, Prasad’s hometown in Alwar district. Sources indicate that the two had been in a relationship for several months while staying at the Sanganer open jail, where selected inmates are allowed to work outside during the day and return in the evening as part of a prison reform initiative.

The open jail system, governed by Rajasthan’s Open Air Camp Rules of 1972, permits eligible prisoners to live under fewer restrictions, subject to strict supervision. Seth and Prasad were shifted to this facility from Jaipur Central Jail about a year ago, where their relationship reportedly developed and later turned into a live-in arrangement within the camp.

Both convicts are linked to crimes that shocked the country. Prasad’s earlier co-accused was his former partner, who is also serving a life term for the same murders. Seth, meanwhile, was found guilty of orchestrating the kidnapping and killing of a young businessman she had met through a dating app, with the crime involving ransom demands and the disposal of the victim’s body in a suitcase.

The decision to grant parole has drawn sharp reactions. Lawyers representing the victim’s family in the Jaipur case have said they were not informed and plan to challenge the order in court. While the wedding has captured public attention for its unusual circumstances, prison officials have maintained that all legal procedures were followed in granting the temporary release.

The case has ignited a wider debate on parole, prison reforms and the rights of convicts, with many questioning whether such permissions are appropriate in cases involving serious crimes.