Karnataka honour killing: Father murders teen for having affair with Dalit youth in Kolar

An auto-rickshaw driver reportedly strangled his 19-year-old daughter to death in view of her love affair with a Dalit youth from the neighbouring village at Thotli village in Karnataka’s Kolar district.

The family of the deceased tried to hush up the matter by burying her body without informing the police and fellow villagers. However, a police official posted nearby got a clue about the incident and brought the matter to the notice of Kolar SP M Narayana, following which directions were issued to the Kolar Rural police to probe the matter.

When a police team reached the house of the deceased and questioned her father Venkatesh Gowda about her whereabouts, he reportedly confessed to his crime. He and his two brothers – Mohan Gowda and Chowde Gowda – have been arrested in connection with the case.

As per police sources, Gowda’s daughter Ramya was allegedly having an affair with a Dalit youth hailing from Aaleri village, though he didn’t approve of their relationship. Gowda repeatedly told her to stay away from him, but she didn’t pay heed to her father’s pleas. Ramya was working at a factory near her village, while the youth was employed as a mechanic with a private firm. Her family members came to know of their affair a month ago and made all the effort to persuade her to sever her ties with him, but in vain.

Following the confession made by the accused, the police exhumed the body of the deceased in the presence of the taluk magistrate on Sunday morning and an autopsy was conducted on the site. A case has been registered against the accused under relevant sections of the IPC.

Incidentally, this is the second case of honour killing in Kolar district in the last couple of months. Earlier, a man belonging to Bodagurki village of Bangarpet taluk allegedly killed his 20-year-old daughter for having an affair with a Dalit youth of the same village.