Mother-daughter burnt alive: Kin, villagers block NH-21

Shashi Pal Jain

Kurali, July 12

Demanding arrest of the two accused in connection with the alleged murder of Inderjeet Kaur (30) and her daughter Simranjeet Kaur (4), who were allegedly burnt alive in Shahpur village a few day ago, the parents and other relatives of the deceased blocked vehicular traffic on the busy Kharar-Ropar National Highway (NH) -21 on Thursday and raised anti-police slogans.

Notably, Inderjeet and her daughter Simranjeet, both residents of nearby Shahpur village, under the Kurali police station, were allegedly burnt alive by her in-laws, who were demanding more dowry. Both died at the PGI last Friday evening.

The Kurali police had booked her husband and three other members of his family on the charge of murder.

Today, a large number of villagers, including Sukhjinder Singh and Manjit Kaur, father and mother of the deceased, respectively, came on tractor-trailers and blocked the road at the Kurali bus stand.

The protesters, who were carrying pictures of mother and daughter, alleged that she was killed by her in-laws. They said though the police had registered a case, till today the two accused were still absconding due to police inaction.

Meanwhile, the Kurali city police SHO, Himmat Singh, and the Sadar police SHO, Deepinder Singh, reached the spot and tried to pacify protesters, who kept on demanding the arrest of the two absconding accused.

The police officers told them that the two accused would be arrested soon and raids were on to nab them.

Meanwhile, protesters lifted the blockade and announced to hold sit-in again if the police failed to arrest the remaining two accused within two days.

Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the road due to protest, which led to a half an hour traffic jam. Many ambulances and vehicles with essential services were seen stuck in the jam.