‘Honour killing’ triggers violence in Karnal

Reports of the death of a 23-year-old man triggered clashes is Kutel village of Karnal district in Haryana. Uneasy calm prevailed on Wednesday with heavy police deployment in the village.

As news of a suspected “honour killing” of Ravinder (23) spread, his relatives and friends went on a rampage and allegedly vandalised a religious place, two houses and a few vehicles belonging to members of another community. Senior officials of district administration and police remained in the village on Wednesday and pacified members of both communities.

Ravinder, a resident of Kutel, an engineering graduate from a Sonepat college, was to join a Gurgaon-based multinational company last Monday. His father Deshraj said, “On the night of December 13, Ravinder got a call on his mobile just as he was about to sleep. He went out telling me he would be back in a while. He never returned. We waited till next morning before searching for him and finally informed the police. We suspected a few villagers of having either abducted or killed him. We mentioned this to the police. When they detained some suspects for questioning, they allegedly confessed to having killed Ravinder, cutting his body into pieces, putting it in a sack and throwing it into Rawar augmentation canal, about five kilometers from the village. I have appealed to the police and district administration to find out my son’s body and punish the guilty.”

Ravinder belonged to the Gadaria community that dominates the village population. According to the villagers, Ravinder was having an affair with a Muslim girl. Soon after the villagers got to know of Ravinder’s ‘murder’ Tueday, they attacked houses of Muslims in the village.

The district police has not yet registered a case of murder, since they have not recovered Ravinder’s body. “A case of abduction is already registered at Madhuban police station. Divers are searching for Ravinder’s body. Till it is found, there is no ground to register a case of murder”, said Inspector Vijay, investigating officer.

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