A shocking incident was reported in Panipat, Haryana, where a man was stabbed to death allegedly by his brothers-in-law. The 23-year old Neeraj was reportedly attacked by his brothers-in-law, identified as Ajay and Vijay Singh, at Bhawna Chowk, Panipat at night. This is the second reported case of ‘honour-killing’ in Haryana within three days.

According to the victim’s elder brother Jagdeesh, the accused called Neeraj to the market area minutes before the attack and ‘arranged’ a meeting. Furthermore, he added that they also called their sister and warned her ‘that she will cry soon’.

Jagdeesh further alleged that the victim’s brothers-in-law threatened and attacked them multiple times before, and that they sought protection from the Superintendent of Police . However, their request was ignored by the police. The accused also warned them of the consequences of the inter-caste marriage.

Inter-caste Marriage of Neeraj and Komal

Neeraj worked as a salesman in Palika Bazar near the municipal corporation of Panipat. Second youngest among the four brothers in the family, he married his neighbour Komal one and a half month back.

According to the Deputy Superintendent of Police Satish Kumar Vats, the families consented to the marriage in writing at a village-level meeting. However, the brothers of the girl strongly disapproved of the marriage. Hence, they continued to threaten the couple and Neeraj’s family.

The gruesome murder

According to the reports, Neeraj was called to Bhawna Chowk by his brothers-in-law on Friday at around 8 at night. He was reportedly stabbed at least a dozen times, which ultimately led to his death. It was also reported that the accused can be seen running away in CCTV footage. The police reached the crime scene after people in the market area informed them about the attack.

Second case of ‘honour-killing’ in Haryana within three days

The inter-caste marriage is the second case of ‘honour-killing’ in Haryana in the span of three days. An honour killing is the murder of a family member(s) due to the notion that the victim brought shame upon the family and community. This is a part of the culture of caste, religion and community honour and pride.

The first case reported was in Rohtak on Thursday, where a couple was shot dead in a car allegedly by family members of both the partners. The man’s brother was also shot, but he survived and is receiving treatment. Haryana police arrested four men, including the paternal uncle and cousin of a woman. Both of them belonged to Jat community, but they were from different villages.

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