Dad kills minor girl for eloping with Dalit boy in Bengaluru

TNN | Oct 23, 2023, 04.58 AM IST

BENGALURU: A 17-year-old girl who had eloped with her Dalit friend and rescued by police was killed allegedly by her father at Doctors Layout in Naganathapura, near Parappana Agrahara, on Saturday.
Accused Ganesha, 50, a resident of Kalihundi in HD Kote in Mysuru, who also attacked his wife and brother-in-law, surrendered before the Parappana Agrahara police later in the evening. The deceased was identified as Pallavi and the injured are Ganesha’s wife Sharadha and Shantha Kumar, husband of Sharadha’s sister Geetha.
Pallavi, who is from the Gowda community, was studying PU in HD Kote and was said to be in love with a boy from Scheduled Caste, who worked in a shop in HD Kote. The two were friends from their schooldays.
Two months ago, she reportedly eloped with her boyfriend. Police traced her and handed over to the family. Ganesha, a farmer, then left Pallavi in Geetha’s care at Doctors Layout.

Pallavi fled Geetha’s house on October 14. A complaint of kidnapping was registered on October 18. Police traced her on October 20 and left her at Geetha’s house. On Saturday morning, Ganesha came to the house. He told his daughter his reputation was being tarnished in their village because of her romantic involvement and attempts to elope.
Ganesha then got into an argument with his wife Sharadha, blaming her for not keeping a watch on their daughter’s activities. He took a machete and attacked Pallavi, inflicting multiple blows on her neck and head. When Sharadha tried to stop Ganesha, she, too, was attacked. He left the house with the machete.

Kumar, Geetha’s husband, bumped into Ganesha. He accused Kumar, too, of not keeping an eye on his daughter. He attacked him with the machete and escaped.

Later, he surrendered before police and admitted to the crime. The injured are undergoing treatment at Victoria Hospital and are out of danger, said doctors. Ganesha told police that it wasn’t the boy’s caste that upset him as much as his daughter not focusing on her studies.