Lalitpur couple suicide was in fact a hate crime

A couple's apparent suicide in Lalitpur was revealed as a double murder by the woman's family, fearing social stigma, police investigations found.

What appeared to be suicide by a young couple in Lalitpur district on January 1, turned out to be a double murder committed by the family of the woman, fearing social stigma, a police investigation has found.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

SP Lalitpur Mohd Mustaque said that the police had received information on the morning of January 1 that a 19-year-old woman was lying dead and a 21-year-old man was hanging from a tree in village Rajpur Vigah, under the Jakhora police station of Lalitpur district.

Initial investigations pointed towards the woman, Kamini Sahu, and the man, Mithun Kushwaha, dying by suicide. Unconvinced, police intensified their investigations, taking the help of a forensic and surveillance team. During the post-mortem examination, strangulation marks were found on the neck of Kamini.

During interrogation, the family members of Kamini broke down and revealed that the couple was in a relationship against their wishes.

Mithun had also started living with a relative in village Talbehat, some 70- 80km from and Mithun had started living in Rajpur Vigah.

Later, to show it was suicide, Sunil poured insecticide in the mouth of Kamini and also sprinkled it on her body and left the body outside. They took the body of Mithun to the farm and hanged him from a tree.

Police have also recovered the rope used for strangulating both of them.

“All the three accused have been booked under section 103(1)/238 BNS and sent to jail”, SP Lalitpur said.

HTC