A 46-year-old man from Maharashtra’s Thane district was allegedly killed by three people because he opposed an interfaith marriage proposal involving one of the accused and his daughter, an official said on Friday.
According to the police, the accused, Avinash Khairat, had one-sided feelings for Zakir Miya Shaikh’s daughter and had repeatedly sought her hand in marriage despite being rejected by her father.
Khairat and two other individuals allegedly stormed into Shaikh’s home in Kalyan taluka during Eid festivities. They reportedly killed him with sharp weapons and sticks and assaulted others, including women, the official stated.
The officer added that the trio brutally assaulted Zakir. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital and later transferred to Chhatrapati Shivaji Hospital in Kalva due to severe injuries. Zakir passed away late Tuesday night, prompting the Kalyan Taluka police to register an FIR under Section 302 of the IPC for murder and start searching for the trio. The Titwala Taluka police have detained two individuals in connection with the case.
Haider Shaikh, the son of the deceased, said that they were not present at home when his father was assaulted.
The Hindustan Times quoted the distraught son, saying, “We all brothers were at Haji Ali when the incident occurred, leaving my father alone to confront the assailants. One of them wanted to marry my sister against my father’s wishes. We are deeply upset by this incident; there were better ways to approach our family on the issue. We urge the police to ensure severe punishment for the accused.”
A murder charge has been filed against the trio, and an arrest warrant has been issued, according to the official.
