Honour killing: Crown says Jassi Sidhu killed in India for marrying against mother’s, uncle’s wishes

VANCOUVER — A young British Columbia woman who authorities believe was murdered in a so-called honour killing feared for her life after her family found out about her secret marriage, a Crown lawyer said Monday at the extradition hearing of her mother and uncle.

The murder of Jaswinder “Jassi” Sidhu in India almost 14 years ago was motivated by her decision to marry against the wishes of her family, Deborah Strachan told the court on the first day of final arguments in the case.

The woman’s mother, Malkit Kaur Sidhu, and her uncle, Surjit Singh Badesha, face trial in India for conspiracy to commit murder in her death.

The conduct of the two accused amounted to “a systematic campaign of terror perpetrated by the persons sought against Jassi and Mithu in order to end their marriage and restore the family’s honour,” Strachan told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Gregory Fitch.

Jassi Sidhu and her husband, Sukhwinder (Mithu) Sidhu, were attacked near a small village in the Punjab on June 8, 2000. He survived but her body was found several days later.

A link to the article can be found here.