Indian police say brothers behead sister for alleged affair

At least a dozen people watched as 17-year-old Phool Jehan was dragged out of her house, beaten and beheaded by her brothers late on Monday, but they did not inform the police, officer Rajesh Singh said.

LUCKNOW // Two brothers in northern India beheaded their teenage sister and carried her head through their village because they disapproved of her romantic relationship with a cousin, police said on Wednesday.

At least a dozen people watched as 17-year-old Phool Jehan was dragged out of her house, beaten and beheaded by her brothers late on Monday, officer Rajesh Singh said.

The witnesses failed to report the incident but the crime was later reported by a security guard.

Police have been unable to find the two brothers. Their ages were not clear, but they were both older than their sister.

After beheading Jehan, Nanhe and Gul Hasan left their sister’s body in the street and roamed around the village with her head, shouting that they were against the relationship, Mr Singh said.

While the brothers are on the run, police have detained Jehan’s cousin to question him, said B Kumar, another police officer.

Honour killings are common across India, but brutal public slayings are extremely rare.

India is considered one of the harshest places in the world for women, with female infanticide and child marriage still common.

* Associated Press