Jaipur— A shocking case of honour violence claimed the lives of 30-year-old Soni Gurjar and 25-year-old Kailash Gurjar, who died of severe burn injuries at SMS Hospital in Jaipur after being set ablaze on suspicion of having an affair. Soni, a widow and mother of two, passed away early Wednesday, while Kailash, a married father of two, died on Monday night.
Police said the attack was carried out by Soni’s uncle-in-law, Birdichand Gurjar (57), and brother-in-law, Ganesh Gurjar (41). The two allegedly ambushed the pair late at night, fuelled by suspicion and anger over what they believed was an illicit relationship. Officers also noted an existing enmity between the families, dating back to a love marriage between relatives that had taken place against the wishes of the accused.
According to investigators, Soni’s husband had died six years earlier, leaving her to raise her 10-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter. Her in-laws had grown increasingly suspicious and were waiting for a chance to confront her. On the night of the incident, she left home to meet Kailash at his agricultural field, unaware that her movements were being tracked.
Kailash was waiting on a makeshift machan when Soni arrived. Moments later, Birdichand and Ganesh confronted them, beat them, and tied them to the platform. The attackers then poured petrol on both victims and set them on fire, engulfing the structure in flames.
Hearing their screams, villagers rushed to the spot and managed to extinguish the fire before taking them to a community health centre. They were later transferred to SMS Hospital in critical condition. Before succumbing, both victims gave statements identifying the attackers, leading to their arrest.
Kailash’s body was handed over to his family on Tuesday. Relatives staged a brief protest demanding action against all involved. Police assured them that no accused would be spared, after which the protest was called off.
