Ostracised youth murdered in Haryana village

Karnal Feb 25 (UNI) Twenty-four-year old Sandeep Singh, who had recently been ostracised by the panchayat for marrying his widowed relative was brutally murdered by about twelve persons including women at Duperi village last night.

While the victim's wife Manjit 29, a mother of two children managed to escape from the clutches of the attackers, three others including Bimla, mother of Sandeep and his two friends Krishan and Kuldeep were seriously injured. They have all been referred to the PGI Rohtak.

SSP Shibas Kaviraj while confirming the incident said today that Assandh SHO Rajinder Singh had been suspended with immediate effect for failing to provide adequate security cover to the deceased. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the Haryana government to provide security to Sandeep and his wife after they had approached the High Court following threats to their lives.

Sandeep had married Manjit, who also belonged to the same village about five months back. Manjit who had lost her first husband about two year ago, has two children Deepak, 12 and Deepika, 8 from her first marriage.

A Sarvajatiya Panchayat of Duperi had ostracised Sandeep for marrying his distant relative and banned the entry of both Sandeep and Manjit from the village.

In accordance with the High Court's orders, the couple had come to leave the kids with their grandparents (Manjit's in-laws from first marriage). The Court had directed the couple to leave the children with the grandparents on Saturdays and Sundays.

Assandh DSP Pradeep Singh said that after the kids were handed over to the grandparents, Sandeep insisted on visiting his parents in the village. Hardly had he met them when he was attacked by some villagers including women armed with sharped edged weapons.

According to the DSP, a majority of the attackers were relatives of Manjit from her first marriage. While Sandeep died on the spot, Manjit managed to escape the attack.

Seventeen persons have been booked for the murder, Mr Pradeep Singh said. Manjit and her two children are currently under the protection of the police.

UNI