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Khap gets rap: 5 sentenced to death for honour killing

The prosecution pleaded for capital punishment for the six convicts for killing Manoj, 23 and Babli, 19, who hailed from Karora village in Kaithal district and had got married on May 18, 2007.

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In a landmark judgment, the Karnal sessions court awarded death to five members of a family on Tuesday for the honour killing of Manoj, 23, and Babli, 19.

The newlyweds were hacked to death by the girl’s family within days of their secret marriage in Chandigarh on May 18, 2007, on the diktats of a self-styled community panchayat (khap) for marrying against societal norms. Their mutilated bodies, with hands and legs tied, were found in a canal on June 23.

The girl’s brother Suresh, uncles Rajender and Baru Ram and cousins Gurdev and Satish were awarded death, while Ganga Raj, a village strongman and leader of the panchayat that ordered the killing, got life. The family’s driver Mandeep Singh, who was convicted of kidnapping the couple, was awarded seven years.

Pronouncing the judgment in a jam-packed courtroom, additional district and sessions judge Vani Gopal Sharma observed that khaps functioned contrary to the constitution, ridiculed it and had become law unto themselves.

Babli’s family had bitterly opposed the marriage since the couple belonged to the same ‘gotra’ (sub caste) — such people are considered siblings in many Haryana villages. The family sought the help of the local khap, which asked it to dissolve the marriage. People in Manoj’s village were told not to talk to the couple.

Ostracised, he decided to move to a different village with Babli.
Apprehending a life threat, the couple approached police, who produced them before a Kaithal court on June 15, 2007. However, they were kidnapped on the same day at Nilokheri as they were returning after the court appearance, escorted by police.
Police said the girl’s relatives dragged the couple out of a Karnal-bound bus they had boarded from Pipli in adjoining Kurukshetra district and later murdered them.

After the killing, Manoj’s family moved court — a first against a khap.

The prosecution termed the case “rarest of the rare” and pleaded for capital punishment to the six accused — those who ultimately got death and life — belonging to Karora village in Kaithal district.
Public prosecutor Sunil Rana said it was a landmark judgment since khaps “are acting against the law. They are taking law into their own hands and innocent couples are being murdered”.
He said the legal battle was “quite difficult” as witnesses were not coming forward for fear of the khap. “So, you can imagine the terror spread by such panchayats.”

Manoj’s sister Seema said she was “a bit sad” since the panchayat leader who, she claimed, was the mastermind, had been given a life sentence.

The counsel for the accused said they would move the high court against the verdict.
(With agency inputs)

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