Uttar Pradesh: Father, uncles arrested for killing woman

ALLAHABAD: The father and two uncles of a 23-year-old woman were arrested in Pratapgarh on Wednesday for allegedly beating her to death in May last year and trying to pass it off as a missing case.
The murder of Priti Verma oddly came to light during investigations into an attempted murder, where a trader known to her father was shot at and injured by a youth who harboured secret feelings for her.
Pratapgarh SP Abhishek Singh told TOI that Priti’s father Raju Verma and uncles Jamuna Prasad Verma and Rajesh Verma, all residents of Nandlal Ka Purwa Raja Puneriya, were arrested on charges of murder and concealing evidence.
The family had not only performed the young woman’s last rites in a clandestine manner on May 14, but also tossed her mobile phone into her pyre. A day later, the accused trio, along with local trader Sarvesh Somvansi, had visited Antoo police station and lodged a missing diary.
Preliminary investigation into Priti’s murder suggests she had tied the knot at a temple with a young man she loved against the wishes of her parents. Rahul Verma, the husband, told police that the couple had planned to legalise their wedding in court soon, but couldn’t have guessed what was in store.
On May 13, Priti’s parents — apparently unaware of her temple marriage to Rahul — had arranged her engagement with another man. Priti met Rahul the same day and told him that she needed to go ahead with the ring ceremony so as to not raise suspicions. “She said agreeing to the sagai (ring ceremony) would facilitate our court marriage later,” Rahul told police.
Unfortunately for the young couple, Priti’s father and uncles caught them talking. While Rahul managed to escape, Priti was dragged back home. She was so mercilessly beaten that she died. Her family hastily performed her last rites at Singhani Ghat on the banks of Ganga.
On how the murder was cracked, the SP said the missing case had almost hit a dead end when two youths — Ajay Pasi and Pawan Saroj — were arrested in connection with the November 11 gun attack on trader Somvansi.
Pasi said that he had a “soft corner” for a woman who mysteriously disappeared one day and he suspected Somvansi had a role in it.
“Since Pasi had seen the trader accompany Priti’s family to Antoo police station to lodge the missing diary, he thought Somvansi knew what happened to her. Pasi and his aide shot at him to avenge her disappearance,” the SP said.