In a tragic incident, an 18-year-old woman named Shivani Tomar and her 21-year-old lover, Radheshyam Tomar, were found brutally murdered in what is suspected to be a case of honour killing.
The horrifying incident took place in Ratanbasai village in Morena district, Madhya Pradesh. It is alleged that Shivani's family, vehemently opposed her relationship with Radheshyam from a neighboring village called Balupura, carried out the heinous crime.
Honour killing refers to the act of killing someone, typically a woman or man, by their own family members in the name of preserving family honour. These killings are often carried out when the victim goes against the wishes of their family by marrying someone outside their caste or community, engaging in a pre-marital relationship, or marrying within the same gotra.
Radheshyam and Shivani's Father Both Reported Them Missing
Sub-divisional officer police (SDOP) in Morena district Parmal Singh Mehra said the woman's father Rajpal Singh Tomar had on June 3 lodged a missing complaint at the Ambah police station about Shivani, Radheyshyam's family had lodged a similar complaint at the same police station the next day.
Initially, the police suspected that the couple had eloped, but no one in the village had witnessed their departure, raising suspicions.
Shivani's Father Eventually Confessed to the Killing
As the investigation progressed, the police interrogated Shivani's father and other relatives. After prolonged questioning, they eventually confessed to the crime, according to police reports.
"Sustained probe and questioning of both families, finally saw the girl's father Rajpal Singh Tomar spill the beans about having murdered Shivani and Radheyshyam, after catching them together," the SDOP said, adding that the were tied to heavy stones before being discarded into the crocodile-infested Chambal River.
According to Radheyshyam's family, he and the girl had eloped the last month and were subsequently found in the neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. On June 1, Shivani's father called Radheyshyam's family and warned the family to persuade their son to change his behaviour and relocate him elsewhere.
In a challenging operation, rescue teams collaborated with the police to recover the victims' bodies from the crocodile-infested waters of the Chambal River. The river, known for its gharials (alligators) and freshwater crocodiles, posed additional risks and complexities during the retrieval process.
