Cousin stabs woman to death for marrying lover in Gujarat

A 20-year-old woman was allegedly stabbed to death by her cousin after she married her lover in court against her family's wishes in Gujarat's Surat district, police said on Tuesday.

The police on Tuesday arrested Himmat Sonawane, 24, who stabbed his cousin to death at her husband's house in Limbayat area on Monday evening, an official said.

The victim Kalyani married Jitendra Sonawane in court against the wishes of her family members a month ago, and her husband's family had decided to hold a traditional wedding ceremony for the couple on Tuesday, inspector H B Zala of Limbayat police station said.

The accused allegedly attacked his cousin with a knife when a pre-wedding function was underway at her husband's house last evening, he said.

The victim was rushed to a hospital, where she died, he added.

Based on a complaint lodged by the woman's husband, a first information report (FIR) was registered under Sections 302 (murder) and 324 (causing voluntary hurt using a dangerous weapon) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the official said.