Maharashtra: Teen kills sister, clicks selfie with her severed head
What's the story
A teenager killed his 19-year-old pregnant sister with their mother's help for marrying a man of her choice in Aurangabad district, Maharashtra on Sunday. The mother-son duo then allegedly displayed the victim's severed head before the neighbors who claim they even clicked selfies with the head. Both the accused have surrendered and are currently under arrest. Here are more details on this.
Context
Why does it matter?
The incident marks yet another instance of alleged honor killing - a crime that is grossly underreported in India's conservative society. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the country registered 28 such cases in 2014, 251 cases in 2015, and 77 in 2016. However, rights groups and non-governmental bodies allege the actual figures are much higher.
Details
Girl had eloped in June
Kirti Thore, the victim, had eloped in June and had since been living with her husband. The couple recently returned to their village following which the girl's mother contacted her and visited her. She returned to her daughter's home with her son on Sunday when the incident took place. Police investigation suggests Kirti's family had been unhappy over her decision to elope.
Incident
Victim attacked with a sickle
The victim was in the kitchen, making tea for her mother and brother, when the attack happened. Her mother held her legs while her brother chopped off her head using a sickle he had brought along. The boy also tried to attack his brother-in-law, however, he managed to escape. Thereafter, he allegedly waved his sister's head in the verandah for the neighbors to see.
Police
Accused surrendered a few hours later
Both the accused surrendered at the Virgoan Police station later in the day and are in police custody. "Her (the victim's) husband, who was ill, was lying in the house. He woke up hearing the sound of falling utensils and rushed to the kitchen. The woman's brother tried to kill him too but he escaped," Kailash Prajapati, a senior police official, said.
Quote
They were inspired by a Marathi movie: Cops
Police said the brother apparently drew inspiration from a Marathi movie for the crime. "He and the mother took a selfie with the head," Superintendent of Police Nimit Goyal told The Times of India. Goyal added his mobile phone has been seized. "We will send the cellphone for a forensic analysis to recover the picture. It is a crucial piece of evidence."