Dalit Boy in Jail, Family Lives in Fear in Rohtak After His Wife’s ‘Honour Killing’

Restricted to their house at Singhpura Kala in Rohtak district of Haryana ever since their daughter-in-law was killed on August 8, allegedly by her biological and foster parents for marrying a Dalit man against their wishes, 56-year-old Jairaj Singh – who has served the Army as havildar in supply core – and his family have been living in constant fear. 

Singh’s elder son Sumin met Mamata about two-and-a-half years ago when they were doing a computer course in Rohtak. They decided to marry and when they disclosed this to their family members, the girl’s family declined to give their consent because they belonged to different castes. While Sumin was from the Balmiki (Scheduled Caste) community, the girl belonged to the influential Jat community. The girl’s parents were adamant and  warned her against bringing “disrepute” to the family by getting married to Sumin. They said they would have no choice except to kill them for the “sake of honour”if they went ahead with the marriage.

When the couple found that it was not feasible for them to get married with the consent of the girl’s parents, both eloped and got married on August 24, 2017 at Pandav Kalin Neeli Chhatri Mandir at Yamuna Bazar in Delhi. They got their marriage registered as well at a local court in Rohtak. The duo were happily living together in a rented accommodation at Raghubir Nagar in West Delhi.

Fed up with regular threats by the girl’s parents and family members, the young couple also approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 25, which on August 28 directed the police to act “expeditiously” in accordance with law if any instance of threat to them was brought to the notice.

The couple – on the court’s direction – was sent to a “safe house” in Rohtak under strict police vigil. They stayed there for 20 days.    

In the meantime, a first information report (FIR) was filed against Sumin for filing a forged documents and marrying a minor girl. He was booked under sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 417 (cheating) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act.

The couple was served a summon in this regard following which they appeared in court. The boy was taken into custody and sent to jail, while the girl was sent to Nari Niketan (shelter home) at Karnal after she refused to go her parents’ home. Sumin’s father was also arrested and sent behind bars on January 11 this year. He stepped out of prison on bail on August 21.

TRAGIC END

On August 8, Mamata was shot dead along with Sub-Inspector Narendea Kumar, who was deputed to provide her security, near the mini-secretariat in Rohtak as she was leaving after a court hearing.

Tragically, over 48 hours after she died, no one came forward to claim her body for conducting her last rites. On the magistrate’s order, the rites were eventually performed by the district administration. 

Though the girl’s family was not expected to claim the body after her biological and foster parents were arrested in connection with the murder, the family of Sumin was so fearful that it wrote to the police stating that they did not wish to perform her last rites either.

 “We wanted to perform Mamta’s last rites, but we feared a backlash as she belonged to the Jat community. We have already been through so much and did not want to take more risk. There is no support for our community in the village. We are even scared to step out of our home without police protection,” Sumin’s younger brother Dinesh told Newsclick.

FEAR STILL GRIPS IN-LAWS’ FAMILY

Sumin’s family has been provided with two constables, but his father Jairaj Singh says his younger son,Dinesh, who runs a mobile accessories shop, cannot move out for work. “Two cops deputed at our house do their duty on rotation basis. At a given time, only one of them is present. I work with a private firm outside Rohtak. Once my younger son Dinesh and I go out, my wife is left alone at home without security, as the policeman accompanies my son when he goes to his shop. If we are provided with two more constables, we would be able to move out for work without fear,” he said.

He said Sunil Kumar, the alleged conspirator of the double murder, has been arrested by the police.

WHO HATCHED THE CONSPIRACY?

Following the arrests of Mamta’s biological and foster parents, they purportedly told the police that they were unhappy with the girl eloping and marrying the Dalit youth. They (the four) allegedly hatched a conspiracy with Mamta’s cousin, who reportedly called his friends (sharp shooters) from Uttar Pradesh for carrying out the murder.

The accused, the police said, allegedly conducted a recce of the court premises on July 25. Mamta’s father Ramesh not only got the target identified but also reportedly asked the shooters to wait at a traffic light near Ambedkar Chowk to turn red. The target was Mamta and her brother-in-law, Dinesh, who were on foot. As the light turned red, the bike-borne shooters first fired at Mamta from close range. Hearing the bullet sound, Sub-Inspector Narendra – who was walking ahead of the victim – pulled out his pistol, but he was also shot at. Two more bullets were also pumped into his chest because of which he died on the spot. The shooters once again turned towards Mamta who was lying injured and shot at her chest to ensure that she does not survive. The killers fired the remaining bullet at Dinesh but missed the target. As the traffic light turned green and their pistols ran short of bullets, they fled the spot.      

So far, the police have arrested eight persons, who have been charged under relevant sections of the IPC and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act.

The killers are still on the run. Several teams of the Haryana Police are conducting raids in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi to nab the culprits. A lookout notice has already been issued to prevent them from leaving the country.

Advocate Vivek Choudhary, who is representing the victims, said he would ensure that all the culprits get convicted. He alleged that earlier when the matter was related to the inter-caste marriage only, the police were “not so cooperative” but now they are doing their job professionally following the double murder.

“The witnesses will soon be examined. The case is being tried with utmost seriousness. We are getting shorter dates and I am sure that we will secure convictions in the matter,” he told Newsclick over phone.