Beaten through night, thrown into canal, pregnant woman survives attack by father, brother

A five-month pregnant woman was beaten through the night and then thrown into a canal allegedly by her own father and brother. The woman remained under water long enough to make her attackers believe she had died, before swimming to bank and pulling herself out and calling for help. Amanpreet Kaur, 22, is now undergoing treatment at a hospital while police have booked six members of her family, including her father and brother on charges including attempt to murder. Police said, Amanpreet got married to Satnam Singh nearly three years ago against her family's wishes. She is from Jat Sikh community while her husband is a Dalit. Both belong to the village Karaiwala near Gidderbaha. After marriage, and gearing threat to their life, the couple had sought protection from Punjab and Haryana High Court and had stayed away from the village. They returned to the village some time back and since then, had been facing threats from Amanpreet's family, the police quoting the woman said. As per Amanpreet's statement to the police, the ordeal began the night of September 6 when her father, brother and cousins allegedly attacked her husband and his family with sharp-edged weapons. She alleged that thereafter she was abducted by her family members beaten through the night. In her complaint, she further alleged that her family members allegedly sought a written statement from her against her husband, which she refused. At around 7:30 am on the next day, September 7, the father and brother of the victim allegedly threw her into Rajasthan Feeder Canal in Sri Muktsar Sahib district. The victim told the police that she stayed under water to gave an impression that she had drowned but later managed to get to the canal's bank and climb out. Passers by informed the police following she was taken to a hospital in Lambi for initial treatment. Speaking to The Indian Express, her husband Satnam said that despite a high court order, they had faced continuous threats from his wife's family after marriage. 'The Sarpanch of our village is also supporting them. I too suffered injuries in the attack. I was hit on the head and had fallen unconscious. The police have not taken any statement of my family members who have suffered injuries after being attacked by swords and other weapons. No FIR has been registered in this matter too. I am not aware of the contents of the FIR registered based on my wife's statement,' he said. Sri Muktsar Sahib's Senior Superintendent of Police, Abhimanyu Rana, said there was no delay in registration of the FIR. 'We have booked six people including the father of the victim, her brother and cousins. We have registered a case of attempted murder and abduction in addition to unlawful entry of the house and other associated offences,' the SSP said. This is the third incident in just over two months when family members have attacked a woman or her husband allegedly for marrying against their wishes. On August 30, Jagjit Singh, 22, of Kadgill village was stabbed to death outside the Tarn Taran bus stand allegedly by his wife's brothers, Jaspreet Singh and Harpreet Singh. The couple, both from Scheduled Caste community, had married about a month after eloping. One brother was arrested at the spot while the other manged to flee. On July 21, Mehakpreet Kaur, 20, was stabbed to death by her father Wakil Singh and several relatives shortly after she got married to Jagdeep Singh of the same village in Faridkot district. The couple had sought protection from high court. Five people, including the father, were arrested.