Honour killing: 25-year old man killed in Punjab

Balachaur (Punjab), April 16 (IANS) In yet another incident of 'honour killing', a 25-year-old man lost his life Monday minutes after he had lunch with his newly-wedded wife at a roadside eatery near Punjab's Balachaur town as the brothers of the girl allegedly pumped bullets into him for marrying against their wishes.

Ranjit Singh was getting into his car outside the popular 'Hoshiarpurian da Dhaba' with his wife Jasmeet Kaur when he was attacked.

While Ranjit collapsed on being hit with bullets and died minutes later, Jasmeet was injured in the attack. She was admitted to a private hospital in Nawanshahr town, 20-km from here, with bullet injuries.

Eyewitnesses told the police that three men came in a Maruti-Swift car and sprayed bullets at the couple on the outskirts of Balachaur town, 65-km from Chandigarh. The assailants absconded after the incident.

Police officials investigating the incident said it was 'a case of honour killing' as the family of the girl was opposed to her marrying Ranjit.

Even though both, the girl and boy, belonged to Jat Sikh families, the girl's family was opposed to the marriage as the boy and his family were not as affluent. The couple had eloped earlier this year and had got their marriage registered in February.

While the girl belonged to Faridewal village in Ferozepur district and is a trained nurse, the boy was a trained teacher. He belonged to Sham Nagar area of Majitha town near Amritsar.

Nawanshahr district police chief Narinder Bhargava said the assailants could have been following the couple, who were returning after offering prayers at Baru Sahib gurdwara in Himachal Pradesh.

'The girl identified the assailants. She told the police that while two of them were her brothers (Gurnam Singh and Gurmel Singh), the third was a cousin (Dalbir Singh),' Bhargava said.

There was commotion outside the dhaba, which is frequented by many motorists travelling along the busy Jalandhar-Ropar national highway, as the sudden attack took place.

Police said raids were being conducted at various places to arrest the assailants.