THANE -- In a suspected case of honour killing, a 16-year-old Dalit boy was allegedly killed by family members of a girl with whom he was in love with in Navi Mumbai.
Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the case and the 17-year-old girl, who belonged to a different caste, has also been detained, police said today.
Following the incident, some members of the Republican Party of India (RPI) took out a morcha to Nerul Police Station late last evening demanding action against the police personnel who had allegedly refused to initially register a complaint by the parents of the boy of his abduction by the girl's brothers.
The Navi Mumbai Police yesterday suspended two officers of Nerul Police Station in this connection.
The boy, identified as Swapnil Sonawane, a resident of Dharave village in Nerul area of Navi Mumbai in Thane district, was in love with a 17-year-old schoolmate.
However, the girl's parents did not approve of the relationship.
On Tuesday night, a group of around 20-25 people, including the girl's family members, severely beat up the boy with iron rods at Dharave village in Navi Mumbai, police said.
The boy was later taken to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead, they said.
Subsequently, the police yesterday arrested the girl's brothers Sagar Naik (25), Sajesh Naik (21), father Rajendra Naik (50), mother Malti Naik (43), the brothers' friends Ashish Thakur (23) and Durgesh Patil (22), and an auto-rickshaw driver Sameer Shaikh (23).
The accused have been booked under relevant IPC sections for murder, kidnapping, rioting and criminal intimidation and also under The SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act), police said.
The arrested persons were produced in Vashi court yesterday and remanded in police custody till July 25, Senior Police Inspector, Nerul, Adikrao Pol said.
The girl was also detained and sent to a Bhiwandi remand home, police said.
Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale said that two officers of Nerul police station have been placed under suspension against whom there are allegations that they refused to register the complaint of the boy's family.
An officer of the ACP rank from another division will carry out investigation into the case, he said last night.
Traditional Indian Ways A Woman Can Wear A Sari
Malayali sari(01 of14)
Open Image ModalGirls dressed in traditional sari participate in tug-of-war organized by Keraleeya Samajam as part of Onam celebration on September 21, 2014. Onam is an annual harvest festival of Kerala. The festival is mainly celebrated by Malayalees around the world with traditional folk dances, artworks, etc. (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
Maharashtrian sari(02 of14)
Open Image ModalAn Indian woman dressed in traditional attire rides a motorbike in a procession to celebrate 'Gudi Padwa' or the Maharashtrian new year in Mumbai on March 27, 2009. Gudi Padwa is the Hindu new year celebration that falls on the first day of the month of Chaitra according to the lunar calendar and is celebrated by dancing and singing on the occasion with Thanksgiving to the Almighty. (credit:INDRANIL MUKHERJEE via Getty Images)
Bengali sari(03 of14)
Open Image ModalBengali Hindu married women engaged in vermilion play on the last day of Durga Puja, the major religious event in West Bengal. (credit:Subhendu Sarkar via Getty Images)
Gujarati sari(04 of14)
Open Image ModalA group dances in a Gujarati wedding procession called 'varghodo'. (credit:Education Images via Getty Images)
Sari from Karnataka(05 of14)
Open Image ModalAn Indian model draped in a saree walks the ramp during a fashion show organised by the Indian ethnic fashion garment house 'Rajguru Rise,' in Bangalore on July 23, 2013. (credit:MANJUNATH KIRAN via Getty Images)
(06 of14)
Open Image ModalA child holds on to the sari of her grandmother standing in a queue to cast her vote in Rajnandgaon, in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, now the center of India's four-decade Maoist insurgency, Thursday, April 17, 2014. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Tribal sari(07 of14)
Open Image ModalPortrait of an elderly Rabari woman wearing traditional clothes and tribal jewellery. (credit:Raquel Maria Carbonell Pagola via Getty Images)
Rajasthani sari(08 of14)
Open Image ModalThe women of Rajasthan show a distinct preference for bright-coloured saris. From the simple village women or tribal to queens, the preferred colors are bright red, dazzling yellow, lively green or brilliant orange, highlighted by a lavish use of sparkling gold and silver zari or gota. Tribal and nomadic women are known for their love for silver jewellery. The ornaments follow age-old designs typical of a particular tribe. In daily use the ladies wear normal ornaments of neck, hand, nose and ear but on special occasions and social functions women wear all the ornaments of different parts of the body to look beautiful and attractive. (Photo by: Majority World/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:Majority World via Getty Images)
(09 of14)
Open Image ModalRajasthani women are known for their simplicity, beauty and valor all over the world. They have been renowned for their grace and beauty. The women of Rajasthan show a distinct preference for bright costumes. From the simple village women or tribal to queens, the preferred colors are bright red, dazzling yellow, lively green or brilliant orange, highlighted by a lavish use of sparkling gold and silver zari or gota. Tribal and nomadic women are known for their love for silver jewellery. The ornaments follow age-old designs typical of a particular tribe. In daily use the ladies wear normal ornaments of neck, hand, nose and ear but on special occasions and social functions women wear all the ornaments of different parts of the body to look beautiful and attractive. Jaisalmir, Rajasthan. May 2, 2007. (Photo by: Majority World/UIG via Getty Images) (credit:Majority World via Getty Images)
(10 of14)
Open Image ModalJAIPUR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA - 2003/04/01: Indian women wait to go to the temple at the Jaipur City Palace in Rajasthan, during the festival of Ganguar. Dedicated to Goddess Parvati, wife of Krishna and known as one of the nine ideal wives, Ganguar is the festival of fertility. During the festival, girls over the age of seven worship clay or wooden images, preparing themselves for their role as wives and mothers. After the festival the dolls are thrown into moving water, apparently assuring fertility and a prosperous love life. Married women such as this one pray for their husband's prosperity. (Photo by Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images) (credit:Leisa Tyler via Getty Images)
(11 of14)
Open Image ModalVegetable seller, Jaipur, India, 1936. From Peoples of the World in Pictures, edited by Harold Wheeler, published by Odhams Press Ltd (London, 1936). (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images) (credit:Print Collector via Getty Images)
Muria sari(12 of14)
Open Image ModalA girl from the Muria tribe carrying a water pot on her head in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, India, circa 1945. (Photo by Dinodia Photos/Getty Images) (credit:Dinodia Photos via Getty Images)
(13 of14)
Open Image ModalIndian nautch girl, 1936. Nautch dancer wearing heavy jewellery. From Peoples of the World in Pictures, edited by Harold Wheeler, published by Odhams Press Ltd (London, 1936). (Photo by The Print Collector/Print Collector/Getty Images) (credit:Print Collector via Getty Images)
(14 of14)
Open Image ModalBANGLADESH - NOVEMBER 01: A mother and child in Bangladesh. (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images) (credit:Tim Graham via Getty Images)