MALAPPURAM: The fiancé of 22-year-old Athira who fell victim to honour killing has alleged that it was on the insistence of the police that she agreed to go with her father after the reconciliation talks held at the police station last week. The fiancé, Brijesh from Panthalayani in Kozhikode, told media on Friday that Athira’s father Rajan remained opposed to the match even though he gave his consent to the wedding during the mediation talk between the two families held at the Areekode Police station on March 16.
However, the police denied Brijesh’s allegation and said that they had asked her consent many times and she decided to go with her father Rajan after he agreed to her wish to marry Brijesh. “The mediation talk was peaceful and concluded after both parties agreed upon the wishes of Athira and Brijesh. They had also fixed the wedding for March 23. We have no information on what happened afterwards and there were no complaints of threat to Athira,” sub inspector Shinod K.. said.
The talk was initiated after both parties approached the police to resolve the issue and police settled it amicably with the cooperation of both parties, he said.
The police investigation after Thursday’s murder has confirmed that it was an honour killing. The police said Rajan, the victim’s father, had admitted that the act was in retaliation for her alliance with a lower caste youth, which affected him socially.
The police found that there was hostility between Rajan and Athira over her affair with Brijesh, a Dalit and it grew after Athira rejected several proposals brought by Rajan. He was disturbed due to the differences in the caste of Brijesh which prompted Rajan to kill her, police said. Athira belonged to Thiyya caste. Athira, who was working as a lab technician at Government Medical College in Manjeri, had left home following Rajan’s strong opposition to the relationship with Brijesh and was reunited after the mediation talk. Brijesh is an army man.
Rajan chased Athira and stabbed her to death on Thursday following an argument between the duo. The incident took place at a neighbour’s house where Athira had taken shelter running away from her father during the heated argument. Rajan, who was in inebriated state surrendered before the police at the murder spot with two knives. Rajan will be produced before court on Saturday. Athira body was handed over to relatives after autopsy which was held at Kozhikode Medical College on Friday.
