Dalit butchered for marrying upper caste woman in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Members of a Kshatriya-Rajput family on Monday pummelled a Dalit man with lathis, slashed his throat, and hacked his head for daring to elope with their daughter. A team of 181 Abhayam and a woman cop who was accompanying the victim fled during the attack fearing for their own lives. The victim, Haresh Solanki - a 23-year-old - had been called by his wife's family for talks and he had sought the help of Abhayam, a women's helpline run by the state government.
A case of honour killing was registered after the murder in Varmor village of Mandal taluka, roughly 100km from Ahmedabad city.
‘Not allowed to contact her husband’
Solanki was employed as a driver with a private firm and was a native of Gandhidham in Kutch. His wife Urmila, 22, has gone missing, said a top police official. According to police, Solanki had eloped with Urmila and married her eight months ago. Urmila is pregnant, Solanki’s mother Sushila said.
After they married, Urmila lived with Solanki at his paternal house for about a month. Then her father, Dashrathsinh Jhala, brokered peace and persuaded her to come back to his house in Varmor village citing her mother’s illness. “Once home, Jhala confiscated her phone and kept her in confinement,” said P D Manwar, deputy superintendent of police, Ahmedabad district. “She was not allowed to contact her husband.”
Manwar said Solanki tried desperately to get in touch with Urmila. But his efforts were in vain. His anxiety exploded when he learnt that his wife was pregnant. Manwar said that Solanki feared that his in-laws would force Urmila to abort their child, or worse, would even kill her for marrying a Dalit man. So he appealed to Abhayam for help.
According to the FIR filed by an Abhayam counsellor, Bhavika Bhagora, Solanki called the helpline at 2.50pm on Monday seeking help to strike a compromise with his in-laws. An Abhayam team, including a woman constable, a driver, and Bhagora reached the Mandal bus stop at 5.43pm. Solanki was waiting along with his mother Sushila and a relative, Dhiru Jadhav. “Solanki told the Abhayam staff that his father-in-law had called for a meeting,” Bhagora stated in the FIR.
Solanki waited outside Jhalas’ home while the Abhayam team counselled them. After 20-odd minutes, Jhala told Bhagora that he would need a month to deal with the unrest triggered by the inter-caste marriage. At that stage, it appeared that the meeting had ended amicably. But just as the team reached the vehicle parked some distance from the Jhalas’ home, Jhala suddenly started screaming. “He abused Solanki and asked him how could he, a Dalit, dare to marry his daughter,” the FIR said. “He then ordered his people to kill Solanki.” Responding to Jhala’s muderous call, eight men armed with sticks, swords, and other weapons attacked Solanki. Scared for their life, Bhagora, the woman cop and the 181 driver fled. “I saw those men pulling out Solanki from the vehicle,” stated Bhagora in the FIR. “While the men rained lathis on Solanki, Indrajeetsinh — Urmila’s brother — slashed his throat while Jhala stabbed him in the head and stomach.” Bhagora called police and a team of cops reached the crime scene in 15 minutes.
Police have arrested only one family member, Harishchandrasinh Jhala, so far.