In yet another suspected honour killing, relatives of a girl, who eloped with her lover after she was forced to marry against her wishes, murdered the man, besides critically injuring the girl in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga district on Tuesday.
Police sources said 18-year-old Menaka was married to Kalidoss, much against her wishes a month ago. She was reported missing for the last one week and her parents and relatives came to know that she was living with her lover Sivakumar near a village near Manamadurai town.
Both were cajoled by parents and brought back to Sivaganga where Sivakumar was murdered, the police said.
Menaka, who was grievously injured in the attack by her relatives, was admitted to government hospital at Madurai where her condition was stated to be serious, they said.
Police denied it was a "honour killing" as both the girl and boy belonged to the same Ahamudiar community (a backward community) but the parents did not like the boy and hence he was murdered. A hunt is on for the girl's parents and relatives, police said.