Dubai: An employee of a construction firm in Dubai has paid with his life for marrying a girl against the wishes of her family.
Pardeep, 27, became the victim of a gruesome honour killing last week when his brother-in-law Sukhdev led a gang of armed goons to his house in Nawashahar district in the Indian state of Punjab and attacked him with swords and knives, wounding him fatally.
Pardeep was with Balwinder, his wife of three months, on that fateful June 22 night. He was rushed to a hospital in neighbouring Chandigarh but succumbed three days later.
Pravin Kumar, Deputy Super-intendent of Police, Balachaur, told XPRESS they have arrested Pardeep's brother-in-law Sukhdev and registered a case of murder against him.
"It's a case of honour killing. Pardeep and Sukhdev were cousins. They became worst enemies when Pardeep and Sukhdev's sister Balwinder fell in love with each other. The animosity was fuelled when Pardeep and Balwinder got married secretly," Kumar said over the phone from India.
According to reports, neither family approved of their relationship. However, when Pardeep moved to Dubai a few years ago, everybody thought that the distance between the two countries would diminish their love. They were wrong. Pardeep remained in touch with Balwinder. In February, he flew to Punjab from Dubai and secretly married Balwinder in a Chandigarh court. The couple moved to a house in a tiny village in Nawashahar district. Oblivious to them, Sukhdev was hatching a plan to kill Pardeep.
On June 22, he got his chance. "They came in the dead of night. Pardeep was attacked with sharp weapons but Balwinder was spared. Before he succumbed to his injuries, Pardeep gave us a dying statement naming Sukhdev as the main accused," said Kumar. Nawashahar Senior Superintendent of Police Narinder Bhargav said a manhunt has been launched to round up other suspects. "They will be caught soon," he told XPRESS.
