PALAKKAD
: In an incident that has sent shockwaves across the state, a 27-year-old husband of three months, Aneesh, was hacked to death by the father and uncle of his wife, Haritha, 19, at Thenkurissi near Kuzhalmannam, in the district, on Friday.
Kuzhalmannam police arrested both the accused on Saturday and the search for a third accomplice is ongoing. The father, Prabhukumar, was detained in Coimbatore while the uncle, Suresh, was held in Palakkad. Police suspect it to be case of honour
killing
as the girl’s family, financially sound Tamil Pillais, had previously threatened Aneesh, who was from a poor OBC family.
The attack took place when Aneesh, accompanied by his brother, Arun, had stepped out of their house to shop for some groceries on Friday, police said.
Prabhukumar stabbed Aneesh, who sustained a fatal wound to the neck. Aneesh was rushed to a private hospital but he succumbed to his injuries. According the police, the couple, who had been in a relationship since their school days, had eloped and got married in September at the local registrar’s office against the wishes of Haritha’s family.
The deceased’s father, Arumughan, said that Suresh had come to their house some days ago and threatened to kill Aneesh. He also took a mobile phone from the residence. Though a complaint was filed no action was taken by local police on the grounds that they were busy with the local-body election. After their marriage a complaint was filed by the girl’s family and police had summoned the couple to the Kuzhalmannam station. Haritha had then declared her intention to stay with Aneesh. The police were well aware of the threats, Arumughan said.
Minster for SC/ST welfare A K Balan said, here, on Saturday the government will investigate the murder case promptly, and also examine allegations of lapses on the part of police in taking action on the complaint of threats from the girl’s family. Youth Congress state president Shafi Parambil MLA has demanded an investigation by a special police team.
The body was released to the family after postmortem at Palakkad district hospital on Saturday. The postmortem report said internal bleeding from the deep stab wound had resulted in Aneesh’s death.
Aneesh’s body was then moved to his house to heart-rending scenes. The final rites were performed at the Chandranagar electric crematorium.
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