Khap hails Delhi honour killings

Wazirpur Gujjar clan says the shooters avenged the insult to their 'culture'

The civil society has hit the streets against it. The highest court of the land has censured it.
Yet Khaps are alive and kicking, both literally and figuratively. Forget about the badlands of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the Delhi chapter of the age-old panchayats have come forward in support of the murders of Kuldeep and Monika by the latter's brothers at Ashok Vihar in northwest Delhi.


Butchers: Mandeep and Nakul, prime accused in the east Delhi honour
killings. Police is also on the lookout for their accomplice Ankit

The couple was found murdered, both shot in the head, on Sunday night. When MiD DAY reached Monika's house in Wazirpur in north Delhi, 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.

Monika's brothers Mandeep and Ankit had shot Monika in her Ashok Vihar flat while they gunned down Kuldeep in his esteem car, on Sunday night. Both Mandeep and Ankit are absconding. The role of the third accused, identified as Nikku, is also under the scanner. The police have detained seven family members of Monika who were let off after questioning.