This week, the family of a 19-year-old girl in the Indian city of Mumbai strangled her and later dumped her body on a beach, thinking she had died. On Sunday, a farmer who was passing by noticed the girl lying unconscious in the bushes at Suruchi beach in Vasai.
The farmer informed the local police, who took her to a nearby hospital.
The girl regained consciousness and started crying, and later narrated her ordeal to the police.
She told them that her parents recently found out that she was in a relationship and were unhappy about it.
According to the police, the family was opposed to the relationship and tried dissuading her against it. But, she was persistent about marrying the man.
On Sunday, on the pretext of going out for a walk, her parents and elder brother allegedly took her to the beach before noon. She alleged that they tried to strangle her using the dupatta (scarf) that she was wearing. Assuming that she was dead, they dumped her in the bushes and returned to their residence in Vasai.
Senior inspector Anant Parad said that the cops arrested the girl's parents, aged 55 and 50, and her 25-year-old brother. However, her two younger siblings had no role in the crime, they said.
According to Indian news reports, the police booked the girl’s family under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
And, a Vasai court remanded them to police custody.
The police also seized the cellphones of the family members. Further investigation of the case is on, and the police said they were checking if the family had threatened the man.
