Jind, Haryana: In parts of Haryana the law of panchayats runs side by side with the law of the land even when it comes to the death sentence.
In the small town of Jind, Vedpal ran a clinic opposite Sonia's house. Their love blossomed in brief meetings as she returned home from school every day.
Sonia's parents didn't approve the match and chose another groom. However, a week before the wedding Sonia eloped with Vedpal.
At this, the panchayat passed a farmaan sentencing Sonia and Vedpal to death. The couple meanwhile, was married and Sonia returned home.
She would now not be let out of sight. Vedpal moved the High Court that gave him police protection to fetch his wife.
On Wednesday evening with four policemen and a court official, Vedpal left for Sonia's house. Once there, a crowd started gathering.
Sensing trouble, Vedpal locked himself in but Sonia's family cut the wire mesh and dragged him out. The policemen fled even as the mob killed Vedpal.
"We will take revenge," said Ravinder, Vedpal's brother.
Sonia is untraceable. The police haven't made any arrests and with elections round the corner, look at what the politicians are saying:
"Qanoon bhi apna kaam karegaa, lekin panchayaton ko bhi alag thalag naheen kiya ja sakta. Ek beech ka raasta dhoondhna zarooree hai," said Deepinder Singh Hooda, Congress MP from Rohtak.
Forget words like honour killing, the rule of the panchayat, the fact is this is rural Haryana. This is just another case of parents trying to control their children's destiny.
For Sonia's parents, Vedpal wasn't rich or worthy enough to be their son-in-law.
Now think back a bit in time to the Rizwanur case in Kolkata: a metropolitan city, highly educated people but the result of that story too was the same, a dead boy and a grieving girl.