Mohit Khanna and Mahesh Sharma, Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 9. In a suspected case of honour killing, a 23-year-old youth from Jodhan was allegedly beaten to death by his beloved’s kin last evening.
Sukhwant Singh was reportedly attacked by Kuldeep Singh and his accomplices Kulveer Singh of Dullo Kalan village, Nonni of Narangwal village and two more on the village outskirts. The victim succumbed to his injuries late in the evening.
Rachhpal Singh Dhindsa, Jodhan Station House Officer, said on the complaint of the victim’s brother Surjinder Singh, they had booked the girl’s father Balwinder Singh, her brother Kuldeep, Kulveer, Nonni and two more persons yet to be identified under Section 302, IPC.
Sukhwant, who was a carpenter, was in love with a girl of Dullo village, who belonged to an upper caste. The young couple met regularly. Surjinder claimed that his brother had told the girl’s father that if he objected to their getting married, they would elope. Sukhwant was allegedly waylaid while returning home from work. He was thrashed mercilessly.
The attackers left the spot believing him to be dead. A badly injured Sukhwant somehow called his brother for help on the cell phone. He was rushed to a private hospital on Pakhowal Road from there he was sent to the Civil Hospital. When his condition worsened, he was rushed to the CMC Hospital.Sukhwant had multiple fractures on the legs. His spinal cord was smashed and his hands were broken. He breathed his last at the hospital.
Chandigarh: Counselling and mediation is gradually ending the hatred for love and bringing the runaway couples back to their families. An affidavit submitted today with the Punjab and Haryana High Court by the State of Punjab provides a testimony to this effect. The affidavit, submitted by Punjab Undersecretary in the Department of Home Affairs and Justice Sewa Singh said nothing less than 368 matters had been resolved through counselling and mediation. Out of these, as many as 122 cases were resolved in Mohali alone.
The affidavit states that 40 runaway couples took refuge in 22 shelter homes across the state and 53 couples opted for marriage registration. Taking cognisance of the violence brought about by love marriages, the HC has already ensured judicial shelter for runaway couples by directing the district and sessions judges in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to pass necessary orders on their plea for protection.
The matter was brought under the scanner by Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia, after he took suo motu cogniance of the issue. Justice Ahluwalia had made it clear that the high court wanted the state to evolve a “compassionate” mechanism to redress the grievances of the couples and the parents, and reduce the backlog.
