Delhi Honour Killings: Victim's families endorse Khap

Monika's family members have no regret, say police

Even as the netas remained at their political best, passing off only diplomatic statements, the Khap panchayat became more aggressive while defending the gory honour killings of three people within two hours in east Delhi on Sunday.


Murderous triad: (from left) Ankit, Mandeep and Nakul

One of the victims, Monika's, family members showed no signs of remorse with more people from the Gujjar community, the caste to which the 23-year-old housewife belonged, coming out in the open hailing the triple murder.

"They had no signs of regret on their faces, not even the women members of the family. They had been facing acute embarrassment as four girls from Monika's family had married with boys from other castes. This is probably the reason why they are defending the killings and the accused - Mandeep and Ankit," said a police officer.

Meanwhile, Delhi Commissioner of Police YS Dadwal announced a reward of Rs 50,000 each on the head of the accused. The interrogation of Monika's family members, however, continued on Wednesday.

"All of the three murders occurred within a span of two hours. Monika was shot dead at her Ashok Vihar flat while her husband Kuldeep, 26, was killed in his car. After half an hour Monika's cousin Shobha was killed in a Santro car nearby. We are tracing the phones of the accused and have accessed their call details," Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West) NS Bundela said.

However, the family members of Kuldeep are still in a state of trauma and they fear for their lives. "We won't be able to sleep until the accused are put behind the bars. We are living in a constant fear," said Amit Singh, brother of deceased Kuldeep.

Au00a0law, finally
The central government will soon come out with a law against honour killings and a draft has already been prepared, Union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said Wednesday.
"The home ministry has already drafted a bill. It has been vetted and when implemented, it will put an end to such kind of killings," Moily told reporters.
Several incidents of honour killings have been reported from Haryana. Three back-to-back cases in Delhi recently stunned the residents of the national capital.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has asked the police to be alert and deal such matters promptly. "I am very concerned and worried," Dikshit said.u00a0

Khap ka faisla
When MiD DAY had reached Monika's house in Wazirpur in north Delhi on Tuesday, the elders of the Gujjar community, to which Monika belonged, justified her brutal killing.
"Why should we regret? They (Kuldeep and Monika) got what they deserved. They broke the age-old traditions of our community. They caused immense embarrassment to us," said Ravinder Naagar, a village elder at Wazirpur.
When this correspondent tried to take out his camera, they warned him of dire consequences. They also refused water to the journalists who went to meet Monika's family members.
"Their mistake stripped Monika's family of their honour. We cannot allow our girls to marry with boys of other castes," said another villager, refusing to be named.
Kuldeep, who belonged to the Rajput community, had married Monika in 2006.