14-Year-Old Girl, Boyfriend Jump Into Jammu Canal Over Parents Objection

A minor girl and her 21-year-old boyfriend apparently committed suicide by jumping into a canal in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district fearing opposition from their families, police said today.

The bodies of Dhram Singh and the 14-year-old girl, a class 8 student, were fished out from the canal of Chenani Hydroelectric project yesterday, they said.

The incident came to light after the girl's father lodged a complaint with the police alleging that his daughter was kidnapped by Dhram Singh on Saturday.

"During investigation we found footwears of the deceased on the banks of the canal near the main tunnel yesterday and got suspicious that they might have committed suicide. A thorough search of the area led to the recovery of several suicide notes and a diary," a police officer said.

He said the water to the canal was stopped and the bodies were subsequently fished out and handed over to their families.

In suicide notes, they said nobody should be blamed for it, the officer said, adding they apparently took the extreme step fearing opposition from their families.  

Before jumping into the canal, they tied their hands with ropes, the police said.