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A 21-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her father and uncle in Gwalior district’s Dabra town on Monday because they objected to her working in another state, having short hair, and bringing a male colleague home whom she said was her ‘rakhi brother’.

Neither the father nor the uncle had supported Nandani’s decision to work outside in the first place but she – a postgraduate student -- had managed to move to Vijaypura with her mother’s support. (Representational/PTI)The deceased was identified as Nandani Yadav who worked as a manager at a mall in Vijaypura city in Karnataka.

Police said her father, Bhagwan Singh Yadav, and uncle, Santosh Singh Yadav, attacked and killed her after locking her mother and sister in another room. While Bhagwan has been arrested, his brother, Santosh, is on the run.

“Nandani had returned home last week for ‘raksha bandhan’ with her ‘rakhi brother’ Mahendra Pandey who worked with her at the same mall,” said Saurabh Kumar, sub-divisional officer of police.

Tension had built up at the Yadav household over the weekend after Nandani returned home with Pandey last week. Neither the father nor the uncle had supported Nandani’s decision to work outside in the first place but she – a postgraduate student -- had managed to move to Vijaypura with her mother’s support.

On Monday, Bhagwan and Santosh again began to scold Nandani for her decisions.

“On Monday, the two accused first thrashed Nandani’s 17-year-old sister, who was planning to go out with her. They beat her up. Their mother intervened to save her. During the assault, the minor sustained injuries to her face and neck,” Kumar said.

Then they attacked Pandey who was injured but managed to run away. “The accused then attacked Nandani while scolding her for bringing shame to the family by keeping short hair and working in another state. They smashed her head against a wall and struck her repeatedly with a stick before being strangled to death,” Kumar added.

After the murder, Bhagwan and Santosh fled. Neighbours alerted by the screams and commotion informed the police and released the mother and sister from the locked room.