Honour Killing: Father kills 17-year-old in Punjab

Chandigarh, Feb 5: Yet another honour killing reported in Punjab. On Wednesday, Feb 4 a 17-year-old girl was shot dead reportedly by her own father. The incident occurred in Mandi Ahmedgarh.

Reports suggest that Nirmal Singh, the father of the girl was angry over her eloping with a boy six months ago and so committed the crime. Police arrested Singh after his wife complained that he had shot their daughter dead. "Her father was very angry. He had a licensed rifle. The girl was alone at home when he shot her," says the mother of the girl. Singh's licensed weapon has been confiscated by the police. They are also investigating whether someone else was involved in the crime.

Is honour killing gaining more prominence in India, specially in Punjab? The cases reported so far are pointing to this fact. Earlier in Jan, a newly-married couple Balkar Singh and Ravindar Pal Kaur were shot dead at their village in Taran Taran in Punjab, allegedly by members of the girls family.

Balkar was shot dead in the market, while Ravinder was killed inside their house. The two were killed on the same day the police received Court order to provide them protection.

Balkar and Ravinder got married on Jan 1 and on the same day Ravinder had filed a writ in the Punjab and Haryana High Court saying that she feared there was a threat to their lives from her family. Sources in the police department said that all the accused, Ravindar's parents, her brother and her cousins are absconding.

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)