‘Honour killing’: Karnataka youth ‘drowns’ sister, mother dies saving her
The youth, now arrested, reportedly told his stunned father that he had killed his sister to save the 'reputation' of their family after she refused to break up with her Muslim lover
A 22-year-old Hindu man has been arrested in Karnataka on charges of drowning his sister into a pond for falling in love with a Muslim. Their mother also died when she tried to save her daughter.
An unrepentant Niteesh then went home and confessed to his father the crime he had committed, leading to his arrest.
The murder, being described as “honour killing”, took place in Hirikyantra Halli village in Mysuru district, around 170 km away from Bengaluru, on January 22.
The deceased were identified as Dhanushree (19) and her mother Anita (43).
Police said that around 8 pm, Niteesh took Dhanushree and their mother on his motorcycle to a pond near the Basaveshwara temple in Maruru village.
He then pushed his sister into the pond. When she hugged her mother to save herself, both fell into the pond and, not knowing how to swim, drowned.
Niteesh returned home two hours later and told his stunned father Satish what he had done.
Youth told father that victim brought 'dishonour' to family
According to the distraught father, Niteesh took his mother also to the pond on the pretext of going to a relative’s house as the younger sister would not come if he called her alone.
Dhanushree was pursuing her final degree when she fell in love with a Muslim young man. The brother first tried to convince her into snapping relations with the Muslim boy.
Satish told the police that Niteesh had stopped talking to her for seven months. He got annoyed after spotting his sister with her Muslim lover at the village fair.
There was also a fight between him and the sister's friend. Niteesh told his father that he killed his sister to save the “reputation” of their family.
"She has brought dishonour to our family in our community. To teach her a lesson, I have done this crime,” Niteesh is said to have told his father.
"Amma (mother) could not be saved. I pushed only my sister. Amma, who tried to save her, also drowned," he said.
Before the police were informed, he took his father near the pond on the same motorcycle and showed him their floating bodies. Superintendent of Police Seema Atkar said investigation into the incident was underway.