Rajasthan teen killed by father for eloping with Dalit man

Jaipur: An 18-yr-old girl in Rajasthan’s Dausa district who had received protection from Rajasthan high court fearing her father’s wrath after eloping with a man belonging to the Dalit community, has been murdered by her father, officials said.

The father, at around 3 am on Wednesday, confessed to the police that he killed his daughter.

The deceased identified as Pinki Saini had alleged that she was forcibly married off on February 16 by her father Shankar Lal Saini, (50). She, however, returned home shortly after and, on February 21, eloped with one Roshan Mahawar.

Her father registered a police complaint the next day, alleging abduction, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Beniwal.

On February 26, the couple moved to the Rajasthan High Court, which directed the state police to provide the young duo security cover. “Their life and liberty are in danger…” the court had said in its order, asking the police to take them both to a safe place as per their wishes.

The couple then returned to its village in Dausa on March 1. Saini was abducted from their home on the same day, the police say. They searched for her for two days even as Mahawar filed another case of abduction, according to SP Beniwal said.

Saini’s family members allegedly brought her back home where her father strangled her to death, according to a PTI report.

The couple’s advocates have called the murder “gross negligence” that could not be prevented despite a court order.