M Deepika (17) married a 25-year-old man, one of her relatives living in her neighbourhood in Gerahalli village near Magadi.

But it did not go down well with her father as the two families were not on good terms. So he hatched a murder plan to eliminate his own daughter and at the same time punish his son-in-law.

The shocking incident happened on Sunday when Deepika—a second pre-university student at Kutagal Government PU College—was fast asleep. Her father Mahadevaiah smothered her using a pillow and shifted her body to the bathroom in her husband S Aswath’s house.

Magadi police station circle inspector H Ravi told DNA that the incident happened around 1am at the girl’s residence. But the incident came to light only at daybreak when Aswath’s father Shivanna went to the bathroom. He immediately called up the police. Mahadevaiah tried to put the blame on Aswath’s family and alleged that one of them had murdered her.

The police, however, grew suspicious over his behaviour and took him to custody. During interrogation he confessed that he had murdered his daughter for marrying Aswath against his wish.

Police said that despite family rivalry, Deepika was having an affair with Aswath for the past few years.

Mahadevaiah had warned his daughter against the affair, but she was defiant.

In June, Deepika and Aswath tied the knot at Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Kengal on Mysore Road, without their parents’ knowledge. But later the villagers came to know of it, which created a sensation. The villagers then held a compromise meeting between the families. At the meeting it was decided that the couple would stay separately for now, but will get married once Deepika becomes 18.

Mahadevaiah, however, was not happy with this decision and decided to eliminate her. On Sunday, he pretended as if he was concerned about his daughter’s disappearance, but capitulated during police interrogation. The Magadi police said they have also arrested Aswath for marrying a minor. “We have registered a case against Aswath too,” an investigating officer said.

Karnataka State Commission For Women president C Manjula and officials visited the village and directed the police to register a case against Aswath.Manjula told DNA that the girl’s family was upset after the marriage.

The villagers tried to resolve the issue by convincing both the families to get the couple married again. They also organised a Tamoola exchange programme, but Aswath was absent. He also chided his parents for accepting Tamoola from Deepika’s parents. This had further frustrated the girl’s family, she said, calling the police to investigate into the issue.