The parents of the Delhi woman who was allegedly killed on Sunday for marrying outside her caste have confessed to having strangulated her to death.

Sources revealed Bhawna Yadav had an argument with her parents at their Dwarka home in the hours before her murder. She had returned home with her parents from her husband Abhishek Seth’s house, also in Dwarka, on November 15. Her wedding four days earlier had left the family divided and there was a meeting that evening at Abhishek’s house to reach a reconciliation.

Bhawna’s parents reportedly promised her that they would perform all the wedding rituals and then allow her back in Abhishek’s house. However, late on Saturday Bhawna realised she had been tricked. She learned that her parents had fixed her marriage to someone from their caste in Alwar. The wedding was set for November 22.

She reportedly had an argument with her parents where she reasoned that she was legally married and could not marry again.

Her parents, Jagmohan and Savitri Yadav, reportedly told the police that she threatened to drag them to court, which angered the parents.

Sources revealed it was Bhawna’s mother who took the lead in beating up her daughter, insisting they should “end the matter”. She then strangulated her daughter to death, while the father held her by the feet.

The parents also reportedly told police that after Bhawna died, they cooked up a story. “The parents then called their relatives in Alwar to tell them a snake had bitten Bhawna and they were bringing her to the village for treatment,” police said (see report from Alwar, right).

A team of officials have since visited the village, Baroda Kan, in Alwar to lift evidence from where she was cremated, police said.

“The parents have given us their version but we cannot rely on that. What led to the girl’s death is still unknown. Strangulation, however, appears to be the cause,” a police officer said.

Meanwhile, Abhishek is reportedly getting threat calls telling him to withdraw the case. Bharati Seth, Abhishek’s mother, said, “We have been getting calls from Gurgaon and Alwar. The callers threatened me to withdraw the case or face the consequences. I am fighting for my daughter-in-law. My son will not withdraw the case.”

The police are also on the look out for Bhawna’s uncle, who had reportedly called up Abhishek on the evening Bhawna went back to her parent’s home, threatening to shoot him. “More arrests are likely in the case,” said Tajender Luthra, joint commissioner for Southwestern range.

(the Indian Express)