UP Muslim girl murdered after eloping with Dalit youth; father among 3 held

Hindustan Times

4 days ago

Meerut: Three members of a family were arrested on Sunday for allegedly murdering and secretly burying a 17-year-old Muslim girl in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district after she eloped with a 19-year-old Dalit boy, police said. Police exhumed the girl's body for postmortem on Saturday. (Sourced)
The Baraut police said the girl's father, Waris, uncle Matlubh, and cousin Sadik—all residents of Palda village—were taken into custody after villagers noticed injury marks on the girl's neck during her burial and informed the boy's family and local police.
According to the primary investigation, the girl was in a relationship with Sagar Kashyap, a scheduled caste youth from the same village under Baraut police station limits. 'The two had been in love for over 18 months but faced strong opposition from the girl's family due to caste and religious differences. The minor girl's grandfather is a known Samajwadi Party worker with political influence in the area,' an officer said.
The couple reportedly fled to Una district in Himachal Pradesh on July 15, where Sagar worked at a brick kiln. 'A day later, the girl's family tracked them down, brought them back to the village in a car, allegedly beating them throughout the journey. They then tied them near a tubewell in the village, where the couple was publicly thrashed. Sagar was handed over to his family with death threats, and the girl was taken back home,' he added.
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Police said the family allegedly strangled the girl on July 23 and passed off her death as a result of tuberculosis. Her body was buried quietly; however, villagers noticed bruises and strangulation marks on the girl's neck and body during the burial.
Sagar and his family submitted a written complaint at the Baraut police station on July 24, alleging the girl was murdered. They approached superintendent of police (SP) Suraj Kumar Rai the next day.
Police exhumed the girl's body for postmortem on Saturday. 'Further action would be based on the autopsy report. The role of Doghat police officers, accused of dereliction of duty, is being investigated too,' SP Rai said.
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Sagar's father, Rampal, said their family lived 500 metres from the girl's house but remained silent initially due to fear. 'They are influential people. The girl's family often threatens villagers by flashing guns. They warned us not to go to the police, or they would kill my son too,' he said.
The case is being jointly investigated by circle officer Baraut Vijay Tomar and sub-divisional magistrate Manoj Yadav.
'The girl's father and uncle have confessed to the crime. Police are moving ahead with legal proceedings. A police team has been deployed in Palda village to avoid any escalation of tension,' Tomar said.