Four held for honour killing in Karnataka

In a shocking incident of honour killing, a pregnant woman was burnt alive by her family members for marrying a Dalit man, a police official said here on Tuesday.

"The incident took place on Saturday evening. Police arrested two persons on Saturday and two more on Sunday. Four more persons are absconding," Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vijayapura, Prabhu Gowda K. Patil, said.

The police have identified the victim as Banu Begum.

The victim's brother Akbar Mohammed Sab Attar, 20; mother Ramzan Bi, 65; sister Dawan Bi alias Salma, 35, and brother-in-law Gilan Daknee, 40, have been arrested.

The incident took place at Gundanakala village in Talikote police limits. Talikote is 83 km from Vijayapura in North Karnataka and 483 km from Bengaluru.

According to police, Banu Begum, 21, was in love with Sayabanna Sharanappa Konnur, 24, of the same village.

"The couple eloped to Goa and got married when their parents did not give their consent to their relationship. They returned on June 3 expecting their parents will accept them," Patil said.

The police said Banu's parents forced her to lodge a complaint against Sayabanna at the Talikote Police Station, alleging that he sexually assaulted her but she refused to oblige.

"Both eloped to Goa in January 2017 and returned to Gundanakala village recently. Banu's parents attacked Sayabanna. He came to the police station to seek protection. Banu's parents set her ablaze before Sayabanna reached home with the police," the Deputy Superintendent of Police said.

A case has been registered at the Talikote Police Station against the accused under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Caste and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

"We produced the accused in Vijayapura District Court on Monday. They have been remanded to judicial custody," Patil said.

"We have formed a special team to nab the (remaining) accused," he added.

--IANS

str/amit/rn