MAINPURI:
A 48-year-old man allegedly shot his 19-year-old daughter in the head while she was asleep after she refused to marry a man chosen by him and insisted on marrying the person she loved, police said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Monday in Bhongaon town of Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri district. The woman, identified as Shazia, sustained critical injuries and was initially taken to the district hospital before being referred to Saifai Medical College for further treatment. According to police, her father, Asin Khan, who works as a labourer, had arranged her marriage with another man for November 19. Shazia reportedly opposed the arrangement because she wanted to marry a man with whom she was in a relationship. Police said the accused allegedly opened fire on her while she was sleeping.
Shazia’s mother, Kherunisha, rushed into the room after hearing the gunshot and took her injured daughter to hospital. She subsequently lodged a police complaint accusing her husband of attempting to murder their daughter. Superintendent of Police (City) Arun Kumar Singh visited the scene and spoke to family members and neighbours to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident. Police said Khan was arrested while he was on his way to the Bhongaon police station after the shooting. The investigation is continuing. The incident has once again highlighted the dangers of coercion in marriage and the importance of respecting an adult’s right to choose a life partner.