SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- A young man allegedly committed suicide in Indian-controlled Kashmir following a diktat from a village council (locally called Panchayat) that he has to drink urine of a girl, whose family accused him of raping her, police said Thursday.
Fazal Hussain, 25, committed suicide by jumping into a lake in near village Targain of Rajouri district, about 220 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"We have ordered a probe into the entire incident," a police official posted in Rajouri told Xinhua.
Before committing suicide, Hussain had recorded an audio message on his mobile phone in which he accused the village council of subjecting him to "humiliation" by directing him to drink the urine of a girl on a "false case." He even accused girl's family of threatening his father of dire consequences.
According to police officials at Budhal police station, Hussain's body was fished out from a nearby lake on Sunday. He had reportedly went missing from his home on Saturday.
The girl's father reportedly approached the council alleging that Hussain raped his daughter, an allegation Hussain contested in the council.
Ironically neither the family of the girl nor the youth have approached police following the allegations. However, they tried to sought out the matter in the local village council.
"The panchayat favored the girl's father and asked Hussain to pay money to the girl. When he refused, the panchayat came out with a directive asking him to drink urine of the girl," police said.
In recent times, there have been many cases where people have been ostracised or killed for defying age-old notions of tradition and family honor by these village councils.
