Woman's mother, grandfather held for 'honour killing'

The mother and the grandfather of a 21-year-old woman have been arrested on the charge of murdering her and her infant son in a case of suspected 'honour killing', police said.

Deepika and her four-month-old son were smothered to death at Thamasandra village in Ramanagaram district, about 60 km from Bangalore, on the night of Feb 26 and their bodies were cremated immediately, police said.

"We suspect that Deepika and her child were murdered as the girl had married outside her caste," a Ramanagaram district police spokesperson told IANS.

Deepika married her neighbour Venkatesh against the wishes of her family, he said.

Deepika's mother Gowramma, 55, and grandfather Mooge Gowda, 77, were nabbed late Thursday from Thamasandra, the spokesperson said.

Search is on for Deepika's father Ramakrishnaiah and two uncles who are now on the run, he said.