Death Of Minors In Odisha: Girl’s Father Among 3 Held For ‘Honour’ Killing In Kalahandi

Bhawanipatna: Three days after the half-burnt bodies of a minor boy and girl were found in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, three persons were arrested in this connection on Wednesday.

The arrested persons were identified as deceased girl’s father Kuneshwar Patel, his son-in-law Sundar Naik, and brother Debananda. They were forwarded to the court while the body of the deceased were sent for autopsy.

As per reports, 17-year-old Sunil Patel and 15-year-old Jemamani Patel of Banjipadar village under Dharamgarh block of the district had gone missing from their respective houses a week back

Sources said the family members of the boy were supporting the relationship, while the family of the girl was against it.

The minors were reportedly hiding in an abandoned place in Gotguda village. After coming to know this, the girl’s father Kaneshwar Patel with his brother, reached the hideout. After allegedly killing the duo, they left the place and tried to mislead the police.

Patel later filed a missing complaint with the police for his daughter. And subsequently the bodies were recovered. On Sunday morning, some goatherds had gone to a forest area for grazing of their goats when they spotted the bodies of Sunil and Jemamani in a drain between Sabunivadi and Banjipadar villages. The goatherds rushed back to Banjipadar and informed the villagers.

Later, a team from Dharamgarh police station reached the spot after being informed. They retrieved the bodies which were found to be half burnt.

However, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the minor boy’s father, police launched an investigation and zeroed in on the honour killing angle. The three accused were arrested thereafter.