Karnal: Six sentenced to life imprisonment in 2021 ‘honour killing’ case

A court of Additional Sessions Judge Rajnish Kumar Sharma has sentenced six persons to life imprisonment in connection with the 2021 murder case of a 26-year-old man in Chamarkhera village under the jurisdiction of the Sadar police station.

The convicted have been identified as Amit, Manoj Kumar, Lokesh, Kehar Singh, Jayant, and Ravinder — all residents of Chamar Khera village, said Deepak Chaudhary, the public prosecutor in the case.

The case dates back to June 26, 2021, when an FIR was registered under Sections 201, 202, 302, 364, and 120B of the IPC. The charges pertained to the abduction and brutal murder of Ricky, a resident of Amupur village. His body was recovered from the Rohna minor canal in the Kharkhoda area of Sonepat district on the same day. His hands and legs were found tied with ropes, and there were visible injury marks on his head, suggesting foul play.

Ricky’s family suspected honour killing from the outset and accused members of a girl’s family in Chamarkhera village of orchestrating the murder. The girl was reportedly related to the accused, Amit and Ravinder.

Public prosecutor Chaudhary said that Amit and Manoj Kumar were the first to be arrested during the investigation, and based on their interrogation, the remaining four were also taken into custody. During questioning, the accused admitted to their involvement in the crime.

The police investigation said that Ricky’s sister was married in Chamarkhera, and he would often visit the village.

During these visits, he came into contact with a girl from the village, who was the sister of Amit and Ravinder. On June 19, 2021, she had called Ricky to meet her, but he never returned home. They abducted and murdered him before disposing of the body in the canal. The family members filed the complaint against them, after which a case was registered.