Stepfather kills 2 girls by slitting throat in Pinjore village

Sanjay Bumbroo
Tribune News Service
Marrawala (Pinjore), May 15

A stepfather allegedly killed his two daughters by slitting their throats with a sharp-edged weapon after they came to know about his “attempt” at molesting their younger sister, at Marrawala village in Pinjore block of Panchkula, in the wee hours of Wednesday.

The victims have been identified as Aashia (20) and Shifa (18). The accused, Habib, is on the run after committing the crime. 

The 16-year-old youngest daughter played smart by not only saving herself but her younger brother as well from the onslaught of her stepfather. While she sent the boy to rooftop, she locked herself in the washroom.

The matter came to light when the mother of the victims raised the alarm at about 6.30 am after she saw her daughters lying in a pool of blood. Hearing her shrieks, her youngest daughter came out of the washroom and narrated the entire incident. 

Meanwhile, the people living nearby gathered and informed the police. Pinjore SHO Mukesh Kumar further informed Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kamal Deep Goyal who along with other police officials and a forensic team reached the spot.

After collecting the evidence from the crime scene, the bodies were sent to the Kalka civil hospital for post mortem. The bodies were later handed over to the family.

DCP Kamal Deep said as per the preliminary investigation, accused Habib was a widower and had married the mother of the victims, whose husband had died 12 years ago. Habib, a native of Bijnore city in Uttar Pradesh, had shifted to Marrawala three years ago. He said he had started the business of selling vegetable in a shop adjacent to the house where they had shifted three months ago.

Ruling out the murder due to financial constraints, DCP Kamal Deep said the financial condition of the family was comfortable as both the victims — Aashia and Shifa — were working in a company at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh and were earning Rs 6,000 to 8,000 per month. He said their mother was also doing the stitching and other works and was earning about Rs 7,000 per month, while Habib was a vegetable vendor. The elder boy of the family was working in Mumbai, he added.

The DCP said there was an altercation in the family over some issue during past few days. He said the accused today sent his wife to purchase chewing tobacco from a nearby shop. After this he allegedly carried out his nefarious designs and fled the spot, the DCP added.

The Pinjore police station have registered a case under Section 302 of the IPC and POCSO Act against the accused.