‘Honour killing’ claims two lives in Punjab

AMRITSAR - In another case of ‘honour killing’, a young woman was murdered Wednesday in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district allegedly by her family for marrying against their wishes. Police raided various places to nab the miscreants behind the incident.

Gurleen Kaur, 19, was brutally killed by her relatives for marrying 25-year-old Amarpreet Singh. Her mother-in-law Kuljeet Kaur, 50, was also shot dead.

The newly-married Gurleen bled to death after being attacked with swords at her home in Bahmaniwala village, about 25 km from here. Her relatives also chased her terrorised husband through the streets of the village and fired at him, seriously injuring him.

“We have sent police teams at various places in search of the accused. We are hopeful of arresting them very soon,” a police official said here.

Gurleen and Amarpreet married last month against the wishes of the woman’s family, police said. Amarpreet is being treated in a hospital in Amritsar where doctors said he is still struggling for life.

Punjab police have registered a case of murder against eight relatives of Gurleen. The assailants escaped and are on the run, police said.

The couple had the protection of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh when they tied the knot.

Honour killings have become common in Punjab.

In a suspected case of honour killing, Prabhjot Kaur and Pardeep Singh were shot dead in front of the Government Senior Secondary School in Patti town March 30 after they got married in a court.

Balkar Singh and Rajinder Kaur were shot dead separately in Tarn Taran town in January last year by relatives of the girl for marrying against their wishes.