Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Parents of youth who eloped with girl from upper caste shot dead

- Prasun K Mishra htpatna@hindustant­imes.com

A couple was shot dead for ‘honour’ in Kaimur district of southwest Bihar on Friday night as their son had eloped with a girl of another caste and married her.

The couple’s two daughters were also injured in the attack that took place at Mubarakpur village in Mohania police station area of the district, 216 km southwest of state capital Patna.

All the four family members were sleeping on the rooftop of their house when the assailants reached there and opened fire, killing Kamla Chaudhary, 50, and his wife Shanti Devi, 45, on the spot, police said.

Chaudhary’s daughters Kiran Devi, 20, and Susmita Kumari, 15, were seriously injured in the attack and had been referred to Institute of Medical Sciences-Banaras Hindu University (IMSBHU), Varanasi, for treatment, the police said.

Police said the incident appeared to be a clear case of honour killing. They quoted injured Kiran Devi as saying that her brother Dharmendra Chaudhary had eloped with a girl of another caste about three months ago.

Dharmendra and the girl were living in Delhi after their marriage, the police said.

Villagers said the family of the girl, Rajput by caste, was not happy with the marriage as Dharmendra was a Mallah (fisherman), an OBC. Her relatives had been going around the village saying they would take revenge, the villagers said.

Kaimur superinten­dent of police (SP) Harpreet Kaur said an FIR had been registered against three named and four unidentifi­ed assailants.

“Three police teams were conducting raids on suspected hideouts of the assailants, especially in areas bordering Uttar Pradesh. We have also sought the help of UP police,” the SP added.

The government is also watching proceeding­s in the Supreme Court, which is hearing pleas of Jaypee homebuyers caught in insolvency proceeding­s.

What makes real state in India peculiar is that the builders are allowed to take money from homebuyers and use them for constructi­on, unlike other countries where homebuyers pay only after the constructi­on is complete.

As a result, builders raise money from both banks and homebuyers for constructi­on purpose. But when it comes to insolvency, the banks get higher weightage in credit recovery.

The Fight for RERA, an umbrella group of about 100 homebuyers associatio­ns and consumer groups wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi early this week, demanding amendments to the IBC to ensure that they get “top priority” in insolvency cases involving realty developers.

“Look at Nidhi, she’s an officer now. For us, nothing can be more inspiring,” Mishra said.

An exhaustive account of Colonel Mahadik’s courage has been documented in India’s Most Fearless, an upcoming book from Penguin authored by this correspond­ent and news website Livefist editor-in-chief Shiv Aroor.

In the book, Major Pravin Kumar, who was part of the operation with Mahadik, reveals details of the mission hitherto unknown.

“While Col Mahadik was being airlifted to Srinagar, I received a call from his wife. She had already heard,” remembers Major Pravin, then adjutant at 41 Rashtriya Rifles headquarte­rs. “Her question still haunts me: ‘Zinda rahenge ya nahi rahenge? Bas itna bata do’ (Will he live or not? Just tell me that).”

“She called again a short while later. This time, she asked me how many rounds had hit her husband. I mustered my strength to inform her that he had taken 7 bullets. She hung up the phone.”

“The 40-km runs can be very difficult. I couldn’t cope with the training initially. But then I would think of Santosh’s sacrifice and get inspired, and my coursemate­s were very supportive too,” said Swati, recalling how a buddy lady cadet would massage her feet after cross-country runs.

 ?? HT PHOTO ?? The kin of the deceased at Bahbua’s Sadar hospital. The couple’s daughters were also seriously injured in the attack.
HT PHOTO The kin of the deceased at Bahbua’s Sadar hospital. The couple’s daughters were also seriously injured in the attack.

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