'Smashed head with hammer': Woman killed by father, brother over ‘honour’ after video with male friend goes viral

Sofia Farooq who was allegedly killed by her father and brother after a video of her with male friend went viral.

AHMEDABAD: A 22-year-old woman from Sarkhej, Sofia Farooq, was allegedly killed by her father and brother in the name of “honour” after a video of her with her male friend went viral around three months ago.The accused have been identified as Mohammed Farooq Nawabkhan, 56, and Habil Farooq, 38, said M Division traffic police inspector U B Dhakada.Police said the two, who run a fabrication business, allegedly took Sofia to an isolated stretch near Gheljipura in Sarkhej and attacked her with a hammer before staging the killing as a road accident. Sofia worked as a receptionist at a hospital in Juhapura.It initially appeared to be a hit-and-run case. Police were told that Sofia was riding pillion with Habil on the night of Aug 12 when an unidentified vehicle rammed their motorcycle from behind near Samruddh Dairy.She suffered serious injuries to the back of her head and legs and was taken to Sola Civil Hospital, where she was declared dead on Aug 13.“Investigation revealed that the accident story was fabricated to mislead police,” Dhakada said.Police later found that the accused had allegedly taken Sofia on a motorcycle to an isolated area near Gheljipura village. Police said Habil had concealed an iron hammer in his trousers.“The video involving Sofia and a youth had gone viral around three months earlier, after which her father and brother reprimanded her and objected to her continued conversations with other boys,” Dhakada said.The duo allegedly developed a grudge against Sofia and planned her murder, claiming they wanted to preserve the family’s reputation in their community.Police alleged that after reaching the isolated location, Habil struck Sofia on the head thrice with the hammer, while Farooq assisted him.She was then taken to a public road, where the accused created the impression that an unknown vehicle had hit the motorcycle. “The accused lodged a false complaint about an unknown vehicle and created a fake accident narrative to mislead the investigation,” Dhakada said.A case has been registered for murder against the father-son duo.