In a shocking case of honour killing, a man in Lucknow has been arrested for allegedly murdering his daughter due to suspicions about her behaviour and fear of social stigma.
Key Points
- A Lucknow man and his accomplice have been arrested for the murder of his minor daughter.
- The father allegedly strangled his daughter and disfigured her face with acid to conceal her identity.
- Police say the motive behind the honour killing was suspicion about the girl's activities and fear of social stigma.
- The accused initially filed a missing person report to mislead the police investigation.
A man in Lucknow has been arrested along with an accomplice for allegedly strangling his minor daughter to death, disfiguring her face with acid and dumping the body near a canal far away, police said on Monday.
Motive: Fear of Social Stigma
A suspicion about the deceased minor's activities and fear of "social stigma" led to the crime, according to police.
The accused, Vijay Kumar Chaube (34), from Lucknow, and his associate Abdul Mannan (45) were arrested by a joint police team following an investigation that began with a missing person complaint filed by Chaube himself, police said.
DCP (East) Deeksha Singh told reporters the case unfolded after Chaube himself reported his daughter missing on April 16.
"During the inquiry, inconsistencies in his statements raised suspicion. He failed to provide satisfactory answers during questioning," she told reporters.
Investigation Uncovers the Truth
Around the same time, police received information about an unidentified girl's body found in the neighbouring Barabanki district.
"Based on phone records, local inputs and other evidence, the father was questioned again. He then confessed that he had taken his daughter from home on April 14 on the pretext of seeking treatment through occult practices and, along with his associate, killed her," Singh said.
According to police, Chaube had hired a car and left with his daughter on April 13, picking up Mannan en route. After spending the night on the way, the two allegedly waited until late hours before carrying out the crime.
"They stopped at a secluded stretch and strangled the girl inside the vehicle. To conceal her identity, they poured acid on her face and dumped the body near the Sharda canal," the officer said.
Accused Claimed Disturbance Over Daughter's Behaviour
Police said the accused claimed they were "disturbed by the girl's behaviour and activities" and "feared damage to their social standing", which led them to commit the crime.
Asked if other family members were involved, Singh said, "So far, only the father and his associate have been found involved. Further investigation is underway."
Police have recovered the vehicle used in the crime and two mobile phones.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further legal proceedings are in progress.
Investigators said the accused had attempted to mislead the police by filing a missing complaint two days after the alleged murder.
