Police said they have filed a case.
Guwahati:
A man in his twenties was found hanging from a tree at a tea garden in Assam on Monday, a day after he was allegedly called to his girlfriend’s home. The death has triggered tension and protests in the district.
Biki Bishal’s family alleges he was killed by his girlfriend’s family for refusing to convert. There was blood on his eyes, nose and ear, according to the family.
Five people – two church officials and the girl’s father and uncles – have been arrested in Lakhimpur.
Whether Biki Bishal was killed or he died by suicide is still being investigated.
The family says a week before his death, on September 3, Biki Bishal had eloped with his girlfriend and had brought her home; they are from the same Adivasi community, but he is a Hindu, and she is a Christian.
Her family, along with some church officials, came to his house and forcibly took the girl away.
On Monday, Bishal got another call and left. He never returned, according to his family.
They claim the call was from his girlfriend’s family and that he was killed and hung from a tree by them.
“There are allegations that the girl’s family with the help of two church officials put pressure on Bishal to convert in order to marry the girl, but he did not agree,” a senior police officer handling the case told NDTV.
“We are investigating this aspect and have arrested five people so far and got them for seven-day police remand. It is not a case of lynching as it appears from our initial investigation, but we have to ascertain if it is a case of suicide, or he was killed and hanged. We are looking at all aspects,” the officer said.
People from Bishal’s village, including members of a right-wing group, have been protesting, demanding justice for his family. They alleged that a Hindu man was “murdered” for fighting “forced conversion”.
“We found blood on his nose, ears and eyes. It made us think he did not die by suicide, but was murdered and hanged,” Bishal’s neighbour Arup Barek told reporters.
“The girl’s family is behind this because she had eloped and come to his house. Since she is a minor, Bishal’s family had asked her to visit and discuss the matter, but her family members came with a lot of people and sticks and thrashed him,” Mr Barek said.
Police sources said they are searching for more suspects.
The girl and her family have not commented on the case yet.
