AGRA: A 19-year-old girl and her 23-year-old husband — who had eloped and got married at a temple last month — were called back home and brutally thrashed before their throats were slit by the woman’s family even as bystanders gaped in shock at the chilling crime. The double murder took place at Gadhiya Suhagpur village under Jaithra police station of Etah district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday evening.An FIR was registered under BNS sections 103(1) (murder) and 191 (rioting) against five members of the woman’s family. Police said three accused — including the woman’s father, Ashok Kumar, 45; mother, Vitoli Devi, 42; and sister Shilpi, 20 — have been arrested. Her brothers Satish and Jabar Singh Vikas are on the run. SSP Shyam Narayan Singh said, “Preliminary investigation suggests that the woman’s father, along with his sons, are involved in the double murder.”Victims Shivani Kumari and Deepak Kumar, who worked at a private company in Prayagraj, belonged to the Lodhi-Rajput community and lived in the same locality. They had been in a relationship for the past three years, and on Dec 11, they eloped and got married at an Arya Samaj temple in Prayagraj against the wishes of the woman’s parents.On Saturday, Shivani returned to her parental home after her family called her back. Around 7 pm on Sunday, when Deepak came to meet her, the newly wed couple were attacked with sticks and a trowel while villagers watched in horror.“After thrashing the couple, the attackers slit Shivani’s throat. As Deepak ran to save his life, he was caught and his throat was also slit. The attackers then threw the blood-soaked body on the roof of a neighbour’s house,” said a villager.Police arrived soon, but by that time Shivani had already died. Deepak was breathing, and he was rushed to the nearby community health centre, from where he was referred to the district hospital, but he died on the way.In his police complaint, Deepak’s father, Radheyshaym, who works in the forest department, said: “Shivani’s family member attacked my son and his wife with a sharp weapon in front of terrified villagers.”(With inputs from Vikas Dubey in Etah)
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