Father, uncle arrested for honour killing in Delhi (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - The father and uncle of 19-year-old Asha, who was tortured to death along with her 20-year-old boyfriend Yogesh Kumar, have been arrested, police said Tuesday. A city court later sent them to two days police custody.

The uncle, Om Prakash, was unrepentant and said he did not regret the brutal murders, being described as a case of honour killing.

The couple was found dead Monday at Om Prakash’s house in north Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar with multiple stab wounds and signs that they had been tortured.

“We arrested the father, Suraj Kumar Saini, and Om Prakash late Monday. During interrogation, they confessed to the double murder,” a police official told IANS.

The two were brought before Metropolitan Magistrate Smita Gupta, who remanded them to police custody toll June 17.

“We want more time to interrogate the two, hence we asked for their police custody,” a police official told IANS.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) N.S. Bundela said: “Prima facie five people are involved in the murders - Asha’s father, her uncle, her cousin Sanjeev, her aunt and her mother.”

Om Prakash later told reporters that he had no regrets about committing the heinous crime.

“My brother killed them. I have no regrets whatsoever,” Om Prakash said as he was being escorted away by the police.

“The boy’s family was opposed to the match and told us to get her (Asha) married off to whoever we want to,” he added.

Officials have described it as a case of honour killing as the couple belonged to different castes and Asha’s family was vehemently opposed to the match.

“It looks like a case of honour killing. The girl’s marriage was fixed with somebody else because she and Yogesh were from different castes,” a police official said.

“On Sunday, the girl came to stay at her uncle’s house and was assaulted along with her boyfriend and killed by her family.”

Renu, Yogesh’s elder sister, said: “Asha wanted to marry my brother but her family forcibly fixed her marriage to somebody else. On an earlier occasion, her mother had come to our place and threatened dire consequences if Yogesh did not stop meeting her.”