Sofia Farooq, 22 years old from Sarkhej, was allegedly killed by her father and brother in what police have termed a planned murder done in the name of family honour. The case was initially being treated as a road accident, but later investigation by police allegedly revealed other sequence of events.
Police said Sofia was attacked by her father Mohammed Farooq Nawabkhan, 56, and brother Habil Farooq, 38. The two accused (who run a fabrication business) have been identified by M Division traffic police inspector U B Dhakada.
Sofia was a receptionist at a hospital in Juhapura. Police said a video of Sofia and her male friend had allegedly been posted on social media three months before she died. Investigators said the incident caused conflict within the family, as her father and brother objected to her continuing conversations with other young men.
The case came to light initially as a suspected hit-and-run case. Police said Sofia was riding pillion with her brother Habil on the night of August 12 when an unidentified vehicle allegedly hit their motorcycle from behind near Samruddh Dairy.
Sofia was injured (head and legs), so she was taken to Sola Civil Hospital, where she died on 13 August.
However, investigators were said to have become suspicious of the accident story during their investigation. Police claimed that the road accident story had been invented to hide the truth about Sofia’s death.
Inspector U B Dhakada said that later they found Sofia had been allegedly taken by the accused on a motorcycle to an isolated stretch near Gheljipura village in Sarkhej. Police alleged Habil had hidden an iron hammer in his trousers before going to the place.
When the group got to the isolated area, Habil hit Sofia with the hammer three times on her head, and her father allegedly helped him. Police also said the accused moved Sofia and the motorcycle onto a public road and tried to make it look like an unidentified car caused the fatal accident.
Police said the family objected to Sofia mingling with male friends after the video was circulated. They said the accused had a grudge against her and planned her killing because they wanted to protect the family’s reputation in their community.
Police also said the father and son then filed a false complaint against an unidentified vehicle and created a fake hit-and-run story to divert the investigation.
The case has taken a serious turn now. A murder case has been registered against the father-son duo. Investigation is going on, and allegations against the accused will be put through the legal process.
The case has once again brought home crimes committed under the cover of “family honour” and how women are put at risk when family members try to control their personal relationships and choices; how difficult it is for investigators when an alleged murder is disguised as accidental death.
Authorities will have to look into the circumstances of the assault; how the motorcycle moved; whether the false accident complaint was made and other evidence gathered during the investigation. How it actually happened and who is at fault (the accused) will only be determined by the judicial process.
Important: The allegations described above are based on the police investigation and statements made by police officials. The accused are innocent until proven guilty in court.
