Fearing social stigma, man throws pregnant daughter into Agra river
Body yet to be traced; accused, relative arrested
Fearing social stigma after learning that his 18-year-old daughter was pregnant, a 52-year-old Delhi man allegedly took her to their native place in Agra on the pretext of getting her pregnancy terminated and threw her into the Chambal river, officials said on Friday.
The man, Lakhpat Singh (52), and a relative have been arrested from their house in south Delhi’s Tigri area.
The victim, who lived with her parents in South Delhi, was allegedly three-month pregnant from a minor living in the same locality.
According to the police, a PCR call regarding the girl’s abduction and murder was received at the Tigri police station, following which a case was registered and an investigation launched.
The police said Singh allegedly attempted to make the case appear to be one of kidnapping or disappearance so that no one would suspect him. However, during investigation, the police found discrepancies in his statements.
The probe revealed that Singh, allegedly fearing social stigma after learning that his daughter was pregnant outside marriage, conspired with a relative to kill her. The police said the two took the teenager to the banks of the Chambal near Basoni in Agra and intentionally drowned her.
The victim’s body has not been recovered so far despite extensive search operations. An official said efforts to trace the body were on.
During questioning, the accused allegedly told the police that on July 28, he and his son-in-law lured the woman to Agra on the pretext of getting her treated. They spent the night at a relative’s home before taking her to the river the following day.
They allegedly asked the woman to jump into the river, but she refused. Following her refusal, Singh allegedly threw her into the river.
