A local court on Friday (4th May) convicted and awarded death penalty to two individuals guilty of abusing, killing, and setting a pregnant Muslim lady on fire in 2017, because she was married to a man belonging to the Hindu religion. The other 5 associates of the primary accused convicted of murder were given life sentences.
As per the Times of India report, the convicted individuals were also fined Rs 4.2 lakh by the second additional district and sessions court. The two convicted persons have been identified as Ibrahimsab Mahammedsab Attar and Akbar Mahammedsab Attar.
The other five accused are from Gundakanal village in Muddebihal town of the district; they are the woman’s mother, Ramjanabi Attar, and her relatives, Davalbi alias Salma Bandenawaz Jamadar, Ajama Jilani Dakhani, Abdulkhader Dakhani, and Davalbi Subhan Dhannur.
The case was reported in the year 2017 when a young Muslim woman died after being burnt alive by her family members for marrying a Hindu man. The incident happened in Gundakanala village of Bijapur district of Karnataka.
The 21-year-old Muslim woman named Banu Begum had reportedly fallen in love with 24-year-old Sayabanna Sharanappa Konnur, a Hindu boy belonging to the Valmiki caste. Both Banu and Sayabanna were residents of the same village. When Banu’s parents learned about their relationship in January 2017, they had brutally assaulted Sayabanna.
Following this incident, Banu and Sayabanna eloped to Goa to get married. They later got their marriage registered at the sub-registrar’s office in Muddebihal in Karnataka. When Banu got pregnant, the couple returned to their village thinking that their families would accept their marriage. As the couple returned to Gundakanala village on 3rd June 2017, and met their families with the news of Banu’s pregnancy, a huge fight raged.
Sayabanna was brutally assaulted and hit all over his body and Banu’s mother had pelted stones at the Hindu man. However, he somehow managed to escape and ran to the Talikote Police Station for help. He informed the police about the incident, sought help, and ran back to Banu’s place to save her. But by the time he reached Banu’s house, her family members had set her on fire.
Injured Sayabanna, meanwhile, begged for help, but Banu’s neighbors went inside their homes and locked their doors.