Woman in inter-caste marriage to Dalit, cop shot dead outside Rohtak court
Police said Mamta, a resident of Rohtak city, married a Dalit man from Singhpura village some time ago against her family’s wishes. Angered at the marriage, Mamta’s father Ramesh filed a police complaint stating his daughter was a minor, following which her husband, an adult, was arrested.
A woman and a sub-inspector were shot dead by assailants outside the Rohtak court complex on Wednesday in an attack that is suspected to have been ordered by the woman’s father who was upset at her inter-caste marriage with a Dalit.
This is the seventh firing incident outside a court in Haryana in the past less than 16 months. In a recent incident in May 7 this year, a head constable, who was escorting an undertrial, was shot dead after three men reportedly opened fire in the court complex in Siwani town of Bhiwani district.
The police said Mamta Kumari was brought to Rohtak court from Karnal’s Naari Niketan by sub-inspector Narender Kumar for her testimony in a case when two motorcycle-borne assailants fired gunshots at them. Both received two bullet shots and were rushed to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak, where they died during treatment.
Police said Mamta, a resident of Rohtak city, married a Dalit man from Singhpura village some time ago against her family’s wishes. Angered at the marriage, Mamta’s father Ramesh filed a police complaint stating his daughter was a minor, following which her husband, an adult, was arrested.
“Her husband was sent to Rohtak jail, where he is lodged at present. She had refused to go back to her parents, following which the court sent her to Naari Niketan in Karnal. On Wednesday, she was being brought to Rohtak court to testify in the same case,” said Shri Bhagwan, the SHO of Civil Lines police station.
Police said the sub-inspector was bringing two women, including Mamta, to the court for hearing. After the hearing, they were going towards the van outside the mini-secretariat building, opposite the court complex, when the assailants opened fire at them. Shells of seven cartridges were recovered from the spot.
“Since the policeman was carrying a gun, he was shot at first, and then the woman was targeted,” the police said. The sub-inspector was a resident of Karnal.
“We have registered a case of murder against the woman’s father and two unidentified gunmen. It has been found that the woman’s father was also present near the court when the incident happened, but he managed to flee. Police teams have been formed to arrest them,” the SHO said.
Karnal superintendent of police Surender Bhoria said he will recommend Narender’s name for the President’s bravery medal.