In a shocking incident which came to light late, a teenaged girl was murdered by her parents to protect their family honour as she fell in love with a youth from another community at Veerapalli village, in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh.
Police said the 17- year-old girl studying Interrnediate first year at Madanapalle, fell in love with Suresh (22) living opposite to their house. While the girl belonged to a Scheduled Tribe, the boy hailed from a Scheduled Caste community. Their love affair was going on for the last couple of years, despite frequent warning by her parents, who were farm labourers.
With the girl remaining adamant, the couple hatched a plan to kill her to protect their "family's honour," police said. Confirming that it was indeed honour killing, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Palamner) Shankar said the couple, along with close relatives, took the girl to a Shiva temple atop a hillock near their village saying they wanted to perform special puja for her on January 17.
After the puja, they took her into the nearby forest area and killed her by hanging her to a tree branch. Later, the body was thrown into the bushes.
The DSP said the couple was angry that their daughter continued her affair with the Dalit boy despite their warning.
Five days later, on January 22, the couple lodged a complaint with the police saying their daughter was missing. Meanwhile, some shepherds noticed the girl's body in the bushes and informed the police.
The police unravelled the mystery behind the girl's death following interrogation by the couple who confessed to the crime and were arrested, police said.
Some of the relatives who were eyewitness to the incident are absconding.
