A shocking incident of caste killing was reported from Gollanabeedu village in Mysuru where parents allegedly killed their daughter for falling in love with a man from a scheduled caste.

Twenty-year-old Sushma, a native of Gollanabeedu, was the eldest of three daughters of Kumar, an agriculturist and his wife Jayanthi. She died on February 21.

Rudramani, ASP Mysuru, who visited Gollanabeedu village and inspected the spot on Thursday, told Deccan Chronicle, “The incident occurred on February 21. Sushma, a girl from the Vokkaliga community, was said to be in love with a 26-year-old man who belongs to the Dalit community from Alanahahalli village in HD Kote. Hence the parents along with her uncle (younger brother of her father) Kempa, allegedly mixed poison in orange juice and gave it to her to drink on the night of February 21. Though she struggled for life, her parents allegedly did not shift her to hospital and she died at 5 am next morning. They burnt the body in their agricultural land the same night.”

Sushma had eloped with Umesh two years ago only to face the wrath of village elders who brought her back to the village and advised both of them to stay away from each other.

However, when Sushma’s parents recently asked her to marry another man from their community, she opposed it and was admanant on marrying Umesh. Angered by her response, her parents are believed to have committed the crime in a fit of rage and covered their tracks by burning her body in the field. as per the Deccan Herald

When relatives observed that Sushma had disappeared, it raised suspicion among villagers who immediately contacted the police. When a police official visited the family, Kumar confessed to the killing her as she was in love with a Dalit.

A case under section 302 and 201 of IPC has been registered and the investigation is underway.