2 min readPuneJul 28, 2024 01:40 PM IST
First published on: Jul 27, 2024 at 10:34 PM IST
In yet another case of “honour killing”, a 25-year-old who had eloped and married a girl of from another community was allegedly murdered by his in-laws in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city of Maharashtra. The alleged murderers include the father-in-law of the deceased and a cousin brother of the girl. One of them was arrested.
The police said Amit Murlidhar Salunkhe had been attacked with sharp weapons by the duo in Indiranagar area of the city on July 14. He was immediately admitted to a local hospital where he passed away on July 25. His funeral was held on July 26 after the deceased’s agitated relatives, who mobbed a local police station, were promised the culprit would be arrested immediately.
The police said Amit and Vidya Kirtishahi (18), who belongs to the OBC community, had eloped and married on May 2 despite opposition from their families. Both were childhood friends. While Amit’s family had accepted them, Vidya’s refused to do so. Amit’s family had requested Vidya’s to forgive the couple and accept them, but her family refused to heed their requests, the police said.
Vidya told the police that her parents had warned them that they would meet the same fate as the couple in “Sairat”, the popular Marathi movie which highlighted the menace of “honour killings” in Maharashtra. “My parents wanted to forcibly marry me off to someone else. They had taken Rs 4 lakh from that youth, but that marriage was not acceptable to me. I married Amit with each other’s consent. We married as per our (Amit and Vidya) religious customs… initially the families did not accept us. After marriage, my family threatened me that they would do our ‘Sairat’… Amit’s murder was a well planned conspiracy.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police Navneet Kumar Kavat said, “One person, Appasaheb Ashok Kirtishahi (35), has been arrested in this case. He is a close relative. The girl’s father Geetaram Bhaskar Kirtishahi (52) had secured interim anticipatory bail… We will be appealing in the Bombay High Court to get his bail cancelled.”
When asked if the couple had sought police protection, Kavat said they had not received any such request. “Investigation is underway,” he added.
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