Hyderabad: Hindu Man hacked to death by Muslim wife's family
What's the story
In a horrific incident of suspected honor killing, a man was beaten to death in full public view by his wife's relatives in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Ashrin Sulthana alias Pallavi and Billipuram Nagaraju got married three months ago against her family's wish. The woman's brother, Syed Mobin Ahmed, along with Masood Ahmed reportedly attacked Nagaraju. The police have arrested them and recovered murder weapons.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Honor killing involves the murder of a person by family members due to the belief that the victim or their partner/spouse has brought dishonor or shame upon the family's reputation. It is usually caste-based or religious in nature. The National Crime Records Bureau's (NCRB) report for 2020 revealed that 25 cases of "honor killing" were reported in the preceding year.
Brutal murder
'They broke his head with an iron rod,' says wife
The chilling footage, caught on camera, showed Nagaraju and his wife riding a two-wheeler in the Saroornagar area. They were confronted by Syed Mobin and Masood who came on two separate bikes. They beat Nagaraju with an iron rod before stabbing him with a knife, following which he died on the spot. "They broke his head with an iron rod," Sulthana said.
Attack
Video shows wife confronting attackers but in vain
In another video shot by bystanders, a woman, most likely Sulthana, is seen trying to fight the assailants off but is pushed to the ground. She again rushes to the assailants and confronts them. The clip also shows her in a dejected state begging for help. Passersby stopped to look but none came to the couple's rescue.
Fled to Hyderabad
Brother had tried to kill her earlier, claims Sulthana
In an interview with News18, Sulthana said she had been in a relationship with Nagaraju for several years and alleged her brother tried to kill her before her marriage, too. "He tried to hang me twice. I fled to Hyderabad and we got married in an Arya Samaj temple... We changed our SIM card so that our family could not contact us," she said.
No one helped
Couple had informed police of threats from brother
Sulthana's mother had also reportedly warned them against getting married. In spite of that, the couple tied the knot in January this year. "Immediately after our marriage...we went to the SP [Superintendent of Police] office and informed the police about the threats from my brother," said Sulthana. "No one came to help us...police arrived 30 minutes after the crime [Nagaraju's murder]," she alleged.
Case to be fast-tracked
Nagaraju and Sulthana were classmates in school, college
Nagaraju, a Dalit Hindu, was in a relationship with Sulthana for over five years before marrying her, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (LB Nagar Zone) Sunpreet Singh said a murder case was registered under relevant Indian Penal Code Sections and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015, It would be tried in a fast-track court, he added.
Lived in Visakhapatnam
Nagaraju was willing to convert to Islam
Nagaraju (25) belonged to Marpalle in Telangana's Rangareddy district, while Sulthana was from Ghanapur. Ironically, he was even willing to convert to Islam, but Sulthana's family never approved of their relationship. After getting married, the couple lived in a rented accommodation in Saroornagar's Panjala Anil Kumar Colony. They also moved to Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, for some time and had returned to Hyderabad only recently.
Demands action
Telangana BJP chief calls it 'religious murder'
Telangana BJP President and Lok Sabha MP Bandi Sanjay Kumar condemned the incident and termed it a "religious murder." He further asked why the "so-called secular parties and secular intellectuals were not responding [to] such a ghastly murder?" He also raked the "love jihad" issue and demanded the culprits should be identified and "the forces and organizations behind them be made public".