A bench of Justices R M Lodha and A K Patnaik sought response from the respective governments on a petition filed by an NGO, Shakti Vahini. The NGO had expressed grave concern over the recent spurt of such killings carried out at the instance of khap panchayats.
The NGO, in a petition, alleged that though there was a spurt in such killings in Punjab, UP, West Bengal and Haryana, neither the Centre nor the state governments were taking steps to curb the menace due to “vote-bank” politics.
Meanwhile, in Haryana countryside a teenaged couple was reportedly done to death by the girl’s relatives near Bhiwani village. Pinku, 19, and Monika, 18, were brutally murdered at Nimriwali village near Bhiwani. Their bodies were found hanging in Monika’s uncle’s house. The police have booked Monika’s father, brother, paternal uncle and cousin for murder and wrongful confinement.
Police said “circumstantial evidence” pointed to an honour killing. The victims — both belonging to the Jat community — were going around for the past two years much against the wishes of their families. While the girl was a school dropout, the boy was in dairy business.
The two had been confined in the house of girl’s uncle after the families caught them. Police said the victims were tortured before being hanged.
DH News Service
Published 21 June 2010, 15:17 IST