Couple who married outside caste killed

GOKAK (BELGAUM DISTRICT): A young couple who had married against the wishes of their families, from different castes, was brutally done to death in Losur village of Gokak taluk on Monday night. The honour killing has left the couple’s sevenmonth-old baby orphaned.
Vittal Kuri (28), a middleclass Kuruba, and Nethra (20), hailing from a well-todo Maratha family, were killed with lethal weapons, allegedly by her cousins, at their residence.Police arrested all the accused within 12 hours of the incident.
Two relatives of Nethra, Vittal Bagai and Yamanappa, went to the couple’s home on Monday evening and accused Vittal Kuri of “robbing the respect of our family by marrying a girl from our community”.
Later, her father, Jothappa , and another relative asked the two to leave the place. At around midnight, furious at Vittal’s resistance , Bagai and Yamanappa killed the couple.
Afte writing her II PUC exam in April 2011, Nethra had eloped with Vittal Kuri. They had a registered marriage . A few months later, when Nethra gave birth to a baby girl, they approached police superintendent Sandeep Patil for help.
The police officer called members of both families for reconciliation talks. Both sides assured him they would not interfere in the young couple’s life.
Following this, Vittal Kuri and Nethra settled down in a rented house at Kurubarahalli, 4-5 km from their parents’ homes.
Vittal Kuri’s relatives cremated the couple at the Losur burial ground on Tuesday evening following postmortem. Hundreds of his relatives and friends paid their last respects. Nobody from Nethra’s family was present. Vittal’s mother Kurumavva was inconsolable.
Police have left the couple’s seven-month-old baby, Vinanthi , in Kurumavva’s care.
The homes of the couples’ parents, in close vicinity , wore a deserted look on Tuesday. The house of Nethra’s parents was locked, while there was nobody at Vittal’s residence.
People of Kurubarahalli locality said that Nethra’s family members had threatened Vittal’s relatives with dire consequences.
Requesting anonymity, they said: “Both Vittal and Nethra were nice. Till the murder came to light, we didn’t knew about their troubles. Vittal was a quiet, honest boy.” Most of the people TOI approached for reaction were reluctant to speak.
One neighbour said: “The couple were very nice. They came here just two months ago. They used to be very friendly with all in the neighborhood. The incident has shocked us. We are worried about their sevenmonth-old baby.”