In a chilling incident that has stunned residents of Parchh village in Hamirpur district’s Maudaha area, a 24-year-old man was brutally assaulted and killed by the relatives of his cousin, with whom he shared a forbidden romance. The violence erupted on Wednesday afternoon, underscoring deep-seated family feuds over the couple’s relationship.
Ravi Shriwas, from Jaspura in neighbouring Banda district, arrived in the village around midday to see the 18-year-old woman. Their bond, known to both families yet fiercely resisted, had previously led to an elopement in June mere days before her initial wedding on June 2. She was located and returned home under police intervention after about two weeks, intensifying the rift.
This time, tragedy struck when the woman’s uncle, Pintoo, found Ravi inside the home. What began as a fierce verbal clash escalated rapidly. Witnesses reported that Pintoo struck first with a knife, after which he and other family members bound Ravi with rope and beat him mercilessly with sticks. The onslaught proved fatal.
The perpetrators rushed the severely wounded Ravi to the local government hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead on arrival. To cover their tracks, they initially alleged he had ingested sulphas poison, even presenting an empty vial as evidence. But the evident trauma on his body bruises, cuts, and ligature marks aroused immediate doubts, leading doctors to notify authorities.
Ravi’s father, Uma Shankar alias Kali Deen, wasted no time in filing a First Information Report (FIR) against five individuals implicated in the attack. Hamirpur Superintendent of Police Deeksha Sharma verified the complaint’s registration, noting that three suspects are now in custody. To maintain order amid rising tensions, additional forces have been stationed in the village.
“The preliminary probe suggests Ravi was murdered inside the house. The woman’s condition remains serious,” SP Sharma stated.
Devastated by the news, the young woman soon attempted suicide by slashing her throat. She was hurriedly transported to Maudaha government hospital in an auto-rickshaw and is fighting for her life. Pintoo, too, sustained injuries during the fray and received initial treatment before being transferred elsewhere.
Investigators revealed that Ravi and the woman were first cousins; his family had relocated from Parchh to Banda two decades prior. Prior to his fatal visit, Ravi had uploaded a video online, venting frustration over her family’s renewed marriage plans for November 2 in Kadaura, Jalaun district. Authorities believe he aimed to convince her to flee once more, a prospect that ignited the family’s fury.
The woman’s grandmother, Kalli, offered a contrasting account, insisting her granddaughter had severed contact with Ravi and consented to the arranged union. She accused Ravi of attempting to abduct her forcibly and initiating the violence by knifing Pintoo.
As the probe continues, police await the woman’s recovery to record her testimony. This grim episode highlights the perils of familial opposition to consensual relationships in rural India.
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