Relatives kill young lovers to protect family honour

Bagalkot: Close on the heels of honour killing of a youth at Tikota police station limits last week another honour killing was reported from Bevinamatti village in Bagalkot district in northern part of state on Tuesday. Bagalkot police have taken three persons in to custody in relation with the crime while search is on to nab four other accused.

'The incident took place on September 30 night , but came to light only when we took up enquiry of a missing girl complaint filed by minor girl's father' Bagalkot rural police circle inspector Bheemappa Suri said.

The deceased girl, Rajeshwari is 17 and half year old belongs to Kuruba community while boy Vishwanath (22) working as mason belongs to Valmiki community. They both were in love since 4 years But girl's family was strongly opposed to the affair and even warned the boy not to contact the girl, assaulted him twice earlier he added.

The boy's family sent him to Kasargod in Kerala for mason work there. According to police the girls relatives hatched a plan to kill both for honour of family. Hence, the girl's father called Vishwanath over phone promising him to marry his daughter to him by forgetting all old enmity.

As soon as he arrived from Kerala the girls relatives picked him up in a Bolero vehicle at Naragund and smashed his head with a stone and killed him inside the vehicle. At that time another team of girl's relatives took the girl in Tata Ace vehicle and strangulated her inside the vehicle with a veil. Then both the bodies were thrown the bodies in to Krishna river at Hunagunda bridge by removing their clothes to destroy identity. The girl's father Parasappa filed a missing complaint with police on October 11. When police visited village the crime came to light. Police arrested Ravi Hullannavar (19), Hanumanta Malnada (22), Birappa Dalvai (18) on Monday night. Ravi Hullanna's minor brother Hanumanta and Beerappa are known to be the girl's in-laws. The girl's father Parasappa and Bolero driver Basavaraja are absconding. A case was registered under IPC 302 and SCST atrocity act at Bagalkot rural police station.

Police are searching for the bodies by calling swimming experts but increased water flow due to rains and crocodiles in river are acting as a setback for search operations Bheemanna Suri said.