J-K: Three arrested for honour killing

The three accused - Reyaz Ahmad Sheikh and Fayaz Ahmad Shah of Malagund and Abdul Gani Pir of Shortmuqam - were on run and were arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of police, a police spokesman said.

With their arrest, a total of eight persons have been arrested in connection with the 'honour killing' of a young woman at Malagund-Sevar village of Lolab in Kupwara district on February 16.

Police had filed the chargesheet of the case before the court of Principal Sessions Judge Kupwara against eight accused persons on April 23.

After the receipt of FSL report which confirmed the death of the girl due to poisoning, the trial court ordered further investigation following which a special investigation team headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police (headquarters), Kupwara, Sajad Khaliq Bhat was constituted on August 28, 2012.

The investigation revealed that the victim was having an affair with one Wiqar Ahmad Khan of Cheepora village of Lolab, who claimed that their 'Nikah' was performed on October 15, 2011 , the spokesman said.

Khan had sent a proposal of marriage to the family of the victim but it was rejected, he said adding, the girl's father forcibly married her to another man.

"A forcible nikah (marriage) was performed and the victim was forcibly sent with her husband," the spokesman said.

He said the girl was poisoned to death by her second husband - Nasir Ahmad Shah - and father after Khan approached court for restoration of his wife.