Meerut, July 28: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her family in Meerut district over her relationship with a Dalit boy, police said on Monday. The girl, belonging to the Muslim community, was strangled and secretly buried in a village graveyard under the pretext of tuberculosis, police said.
Six of her family members — including her father, brother, and four uncles — have been arrested, while a juvenile relative has been sent to a juvenile home. The murder came to light after the girl’s uncle broke down during questioning and confessed, leading the police to exhume the body for a post-mortem.
According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Suraj Rai, the victim and a Dalit boy, both aged 17, were in a relationship and had eloped to Himachal Pradesh on July 12, where the boy was working. The girl’s family tracked them down and brought them back to the village.
On the night of July 22, the girl was allegedly strangled to death by family members, who then buried her in the local graveyard and falsely claimed she had died of a lung infection.
The police began investigating after a tip-off and filed a complaint. Following due legal process and obtaining permission from the district magistrate, the body was exhumed on Saturday. A panel of two doctors conducted the post-mortem, and the entire procedure was videographed for evidence.
The case turned after the victim’s uncle, identified as Matloob, gave crucial information during interrogation. Police then arrested the girl’s father, brother, two paternal uncles, and two maternal uncles. The cloth allegedly used to strangle the girl was also recovered, SP Rai said.
The Dalit boy, who was present at the time of the killing, sustained injuries and fled to Himachal Pradesh out of fear. He is being brought back to Meerut for questioning, as he is considered a key eyewitness in the case.
“This is a case of honour killing, and we are treating it with utmost seriousness. Further searches are underway to track down any other accused who may have been involved,” SP Rai said.
Police sources confirmed that the girl’s relationship was seen as unacceptable by her family due to religious and caste differences. The FIR has been filed under relevant sections of murder and destruction of evidence, with additional charges likely under the SC/ST Act and POCSO if warranted during investigation.
