Mathura bride murder: Panchayat orders social boycott of accused's family

AGRA: Two days after a man was arrested for the alleged murder of his erstwhile girlfriend, a 21-year-old bride, at her wedding ceremony in Mathura’s Mubarakpur village, the panchayat on Sunday socially boycotted the accused family and decided that no one will talk or help them in any manner.
Aneesh Jatav was arrested on Friday evening for allegedly shooting Kajal, who was sitting in her room after the “Jaimala” rituals, on April 29. Some locals claimed that the accused had been in a relationship with the woman and got irked when her wedding was fixed with another man.
Talking to TOI, former pradhan of the village Hemraj, said that the accused family deserves social boycott. It was decided in the panchayat that no one will talk to any of their family members and not provide any monetary help to them. “An example needs to set so that no one can ever think of taking such step in future,” he said.
He claimed that before killing the bride, the accused had threatened the groom to take his Barat away and pelted stones during the ceremony. He further said that the panchayat was also held on the same night after the groom refused to take the “pheras” after being warned by the accused. Before the panchayat could decide anything, bride was shot dead by him, claimed Hemraj.
Ex-zila panchayat member Mukesh Bhardwaj said that their village’s image has taken a hit because of this incident. “We have taken the decision just to send a message across the village that no one will support the family that commits heinous crimes,” he said, adding that the bride was the daughter of this village and everyone’s sympathies are with her family.