Woman, 55, shot lifeless after refusing to marry her daughter off to alleged gunman
According to police, the victim was sleeping near the main door of her house when she was reportedly shot three times at around 2am. She later died from her injuries
A 55-year-old woman in Loni, Ghaziabad in India, was shot dead while sleeping outside her home after she allegedly refused to marry her daughter to a local man who wished to elope with her.
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with the killing, including the man who is accused of firing the shots. The victim, identified as Nawasi Begum, was attacked in the early hours of November 11.
According to police, she was sleeping near the main door of her house when she was shot three times at around 2am. The assailant fled immediately after the attack.
Her son lodged a complaint at Loni police station and Begum later died during treatment.
Siddharth Gautam, assistant commissioner of police (ACP) for the Loni circle, said that the initial investigation was challenging due to the absence of CCTV in the area.
The law enforcer said: “Initially, we did not get many clues about the incident, as there is no CCTV coverage in the area. Thereafter, upon close inspection of the crime scene, we suspected that the person was someone who lived nearby.
“There was no robbery or any motive of theft involved. We questioned the family members on suspicion that there could be a property dispute involved, as Begum had three plots of land in her name.”
As the investigation progressed, police began questioning those close to the family. Officials say it emerged that the victim’s youngest daughter, aged 22, had been friendly with the prime suspect, Mohammad Sakib, for around 18 months.
The pair had wished to marry, but Begum had arranged her daughter’s marriage elsewhere and opposed the relationship.
“Since Begum had fixed her daughter’s marriage elsewhere, she opposed opting for Shakib. In between, Begum got a hint that both wanted to flee, so she started to sleep outside her house near the main door,” the ACP said.
The police arrested Sakib, aged 25, and his associate, 24-year-old Mohammad Sadab, on Tuesday (December 9). During questioning, Sakib allegedly confessed to shooting Begum.
Gautam explained: “On the day of the incident, her daughter had again raised the demand to marry Shakib, but the mother denied it. We picked up Shakib for questioning, and he revealed the incident.
“He said that in retaliation, he arrived alone around 2am at the woman’s house and fired three shots at her and fled.” Officials also revealed that Sakib had attended the woman’s burial on November 12 and spent time with her family, raising no suspicion.
Police are still examining whether the daughter had any knowledge of the plan. Authorities recovered an illegal .32 bore pistol, a magazine and three live cartridges from Sakib. Sadab has been arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and under the Arms Act.
A case has been registered under section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the investigation continues.
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