AHMEDABAD: Till death do them part. Padma and Vijay were ready to die for love. But, fate had other plans.
The couple from Morbi had married in secret and eloped from their homes to come to Ahmedabad, for a brief stop, on way to Somnath temple. Not for pilgrimage, but to end their lives because their parents had frowned on their relationship.

The plan went awry and Vijay died, having consumed some tablets without informing Padma. What caused the youth to break this ‘deadly’ pact is still shrouded in mystery.

The tale began unfolding in Ahmedabad on Friday as Shahpur police was intimated that a man travelling with his wife vomited and then fainted while on way to the Geeta Mandir bus depot. Vijay later died.

“Deceased Vijay Khanpara, 24, was a resident of Junagadh district and had gone to Morbi for a job. During that time, he fell in love with Padma Visariya, who stayed in Morbi,” said M B Joshi, inspector of Shahpur police station. Joshi said that Padma is the third in five siblings and among four sisters. This became a bane for Padma as her elder sister was unmarried and her parents did not approve of her matrimony plans with Vijay.

Not to be deterred, the love birds got a civil marriage registered in secret. “Two days ago, Vijay called Padma and instructed her to come on Thursday. They booked a hotel room in Ahmedabad and spent the night there. The couple had decided to go to Somnath on Friday. Later, Padma revealed that the original plan was to jump into Arabian Sea as the family did not approve of their relationship even though they were from the same caste,” said Joshi.

But Vijay preempted the plan and consumed some pills when Padma went to bathe on Friday. When the duo hired an autorickshaw from the hotel to go to the bus depot, Vijay started vomiting.

The autorickshaw driver called up emergency and arranged for an ambulance. Vijay was taken to V S Hospital where after primary treatment, he succumbed.

Padma was in a state of shock, feeling deserted by Vijay, Joshi said. “She had only one pair of clothes with her and was in a pitiable condition,” Joshi said. Padma was taken to Naari Vikas Gruh on Friday afternoon where her elder sister from Morvi was supposed to take her back.

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