New Delhi: The case involving the murder
of an inter-caste couple, suspected victims of honour killing,
in the capital today turned murkier with the cousin sister of
one of the victims, who too had eloped with a man of different
caste, found shot dead in a car.
Police today recovered the body of 22-year-old Shobha,
a cousin of Monica who along with her husband Kuldeep was
allegedly murdered on Sunday by her brother Ankit and cousin
Mandeep for marrying in another caste.
Shobha is Mandeep`s sister and had earlier eloped with
a person outside her community. Mandeep and Ankit are
absconding and police suspect both to be involved in Shobha`s
murder too. However, DCP North West N S Bundela said they
suspected the involvement of more than two persons.
Police feel that the perpetrators of the crime could
have been enraged over inter-caste marriages in the family
which apparently started with Monica, 24, who was followed by
her cousin sister Shobha.
Mandeep`s another sister Khushbu, who too has
married a man belonging to a different community, is under
police protection, police said, but did not say if the murders
prompted the step.
Police said Shobha`s body was lying in the car at
H-Block in Ashok Vihar Phase-I in northwest Delhi. The vehicle
belonged to a relative of 26-year-old Kuldeep. The car was
missing since the murder of the couple.
Sobha was apparently shot in the head.
"We have recovered a bullet shell. Most probably she
has been shot dead. The body has been sent for postmortem.
Anything substantial about her death can be said only after a
report by autopsy doctors," Bundela said.
Shobha`s body was lying in the back seat of the car,
which was locked from inside, and was identified by her
another brother Sandeep, police said.
A resident of Ashok Vihar Phase-I, spotted the car
from which blood was trickling down and informed the police.
Police said the car belonged to Kuldeep`s cousin Rahul
who had helped Kuldeep and Monica get married four years ago.
He was then allegedly beaten up mercilessly by Monica`s
brothers for helping the couple.
Locals said that the car was parked there since last
evening. But nobody had noticed who had parked the car.
"Who are the accused, I can`t disclose at this point
of time....It will not be good to share the details of
investigation," the DCP said.
To a question on what could have triggered the
murders, he said, "I can`t say anything on this now. We can
clear the picture only after accused are arrested."
When asked about the number of suspects, he said, "It
is hard to tell but they should be more than two persons."
PTI
