Syed Nadeem Mashwani
NOWSHERA: In a tragic sequence of events, a man from Nowshera, who had entered court marriage with an Afghan girl, was killed allegedly by his in-laws, six months after the murder of his wife, in the name of honour.
Sources said Raj Muhammad, 24, was allegedly shot dead by his former brothers-in-law in Nowshera on Thursday. Raj Muhammad had developed friendship with Shandana and they later decided to enter marriage, but the girl’s family was unwilling to accept the marriage proposal.
Despite several attempts, the marriage proposal of Raj Muhammad was repeatedly rejected by Shandana’s family after which she escaped from her home. Raj Muhammad and Shandana then entered court marriage in Nowshera last year.
Nowshera Kalan Police Station officials told TNN that Raj Muhammad, a resident of Khandar village, was shot dead allegedly by Haji Sarwar and Momin, on Thursday night. The accused had come on a motorcycle to kill Raj Muhammad and then escaped in darkness of night. The body was handed over to heirs after post mortem at Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex. A case was lodged against the two accused on complaint on brother of the deceased.
The family sources of Raj Muhammad said he and his wife were living a happy life and Shandana was very happy in the house of her in-laws. The sources said Shandana fell ill six months ago and Raj Muhammad was taking her to hospital in a rickshaw when Shandana’s brothers Haji Sarwar and Momin allegedly stopped the rickshaw on gunpoint and kidnapped her. They then allegedly killed Shandana for ‘honour’.
Raj Muhammad made tireless efforts to establish contact with his wife, but in vain. Sources said Shandana’s family was still bent upon teaching a lesson to Raj Muhammad. On Thursday, according to police sources, the accused came on a motorcycle and shot dead Raj Muhammad.
So the friendship, which turned into love and then into the bond of marriage, ended at a tragic note with the death of both the girl and boy, in the name of honour. Police have filed a case and investigation is underway. Police said the accused will be arrested soon.
