In a horrifying incident in Gujarat, a 21-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her father in the state's Anand district after she refused to end her relationship with a man from another caste. The incident, which initially appeared to be a case of suicide, came to light after doctors suspected foul play and a post-mortem examination revealed that the girl had died due to ligature strangulation.
The accused, identified as 50-year-old Kaushalkumar Patel, allegedly used his daughter's dupatta to kill her at their residence in Metpur village, Khambhat taluka, in the early hours of November 9. The victim, identified as Saniya Patel, had reportedly been in a relationship with a young man from her village for around a year. Her father allegedly opposed the relationship because the man belonged to a different caste and he was dissatisfied with the man's monthly income, according to police. The man reportedly earned between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per month.
Saniya had completed her Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) degree in Vadodara and had returned to her hometown. She was reportedly pursuing another course at the time of her death.
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Inspector P J Bantva, of Khambhat Town Police Station, told PTI that Kaushalkumar confronted his daughter in the kitchen of their residence during the early hours of November 9 at around 3:15 am when most of the family members were asleep. During the confrontation he allegedly asked her to end her relationship. When Saniya refused, the argument reportedly escalated.
Following the family's initial claim that Saniya had died by suicide, doctors noticed marks around her neck and raised suspicions about the circumstances of her death. A post-mortem examination subsequently confirmed that the cause of death was ligature strangulation, police said.
The findings prompted investigators to question family members and examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. During questioning, the father allegedly confessed to killing his daughter, according to the police.
Kaushalkumar Patel was arrested at around 10 pm on November 9, India Today reported. A case was registered against him under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with punishment for murder.
The accused was subsequently produced before a court. According to PTI, the court rejected the police's remand request and sent him to judicial custody. Police stated that further investigation was underway.
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