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Rajasthan: Family kills woman for marrying outside caste
A 20-year-old woman was abducted and killed allegedly by her family members, including her father and brother, in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district, in a hate crime after she married a man from a different caste, police said.
A 20-year-old woman was abducted and killed allegedly by her family members, including her father and brother, in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district, in a hate crime after she married a man from a different caste, police said.
After killing the woman, the family hurriedly tried to cremate the body; police retrieved her burnt body from the pyre and have initiated a probe into the hate crime. They have detained four in connection with the case and formed a team to apprehend others involved.
The incident occurred in Shaurti village, under the jurisdiction of Jawar police station in Jhalawar district on Thursday morning. By the time the police reached Shaurti village, after being informed by the woman’s husband, around 80% of the body was burnt.
Superintendent of police (SP) Baran, Rajkumar Choudhary, admitted that it was a hate crime “ where the victim’s family members, including father, mother, brother, and cousins, abducted, killed, and cremated her.”
He added that the victim’s husband (Ravindra Bhil) approached the police, alleging that his wife (Shimla Kushwaha) had been kidnapped by her family members when the couple were withdrawing money from an ATM in Harnawadshahaji in Baran district.
The couple married last year but kept it a secret, with the woman continuing to live with her parents. On June 11, she moved out with him. Thereafter, the family lodged a missing complaint, following which the couple approached the police and informed them that they were of legal age and married, Choudhary said.
The couple stayed in Kota for some time and then shifted to Madhya Pradesh. On Thursday, they came to withdraw money from the ATM. Upon learning of their presence, the woman’s family arrived and abducted her, said Choudhary.
The police have detained four individuals, including the victim’s mother and cousins. They have lodged a case under relevant sections for murder, abduction, and destruction of evidence.
Speaking to newspersons, the victim’s husband also alleged police negligence. After the abduction, he went to the police station. “They (the police) did not listen to me for almost two hours and sent me away. Later, I received information via phone that my wife had been killed. I informed the police, after which they took action,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Choudhary said he has ordered a probe by a Deputy SP rank official.
