Balla (Karnal), May 9
In yet another incident of honour killing in Haryana, a Jat family allegedly strangled its daughter, who was pregnant, and a local youth from the same community to death early this morning.
Later, the girl’s family kept the bodies outside their house as a “befitting lesson” for others.
What was more disturbing was that the family and villagers “supported” the act as “a measure to defeat the act of immorality” committed by Sunita and Jasbir, the lovers who were killed.
When The Tribune team reached the village this morning, located about 40 km from Karnal, an uneasy calm prevailed there. On seeing mediapersons in the village, villagers and family members started cursing the couple for causing “embarrassment” to them.
The police said for the past six months both had taken shelter at the residence of Jasbir’s sister Neelam in Machhroli village near Panipat.
She alleged that yesterday a group of 30-35 persons reached her residence and took the couple in separate vehicles. “The couple promised not to enter the village, but their pleas went unheard,” rued the sobbing sister.
Sources claimed that the girl’s family informed the police about the gory incident and none of them tried to escape from the village.
Sunita (23) had separated from her husband about a couple of years ago and was staying with her lover Jasbir (26), a taxi driver.
A panchayat member said the girl’s family was hurt after they learnt about Sunita’s pregnancy.
The sources said due to her love affair, Sunita’s marital status was “annulled” by village elders. Previously she was sent twice to her relatives’ place, but the couple managed to flee to stay together.
Karnal district police chief A.S. Chawla confirmed that the girl’s family was involved in this heinous crime. “A case of murder and attempt to destroy evidence has been registered against 29 persons and a few have been rounded up for interrogation,” he said.
