HYDERABAD: A young man died Friday evening while his wife survived after they were forced to consume poison in Hingorja area of Khairpur district.

The couple's parents were arrested by Khairpur police subsequently and are under police custody following court remand in the suspected 'honour killing' case.

Kamran Larik had a court marriage with Tahira Shah – both residents of Larik Para, Hingorja – in Benazirabad district during the first week of August.

The parents of the bride and the groom tricked the two, by taking an oath on Holy Quran, that they had accepted the marriage and brought them to a retired judge's house in Khairpur where they were forced to consume pesticide, Tahira told police.

Khairpur Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Azfar Mahesar, however, rejected the claim.

“Boy was harassed and he took a couple of glasses of pesticides while his wife resisted her father and uncle. She either threw the glass or only took some amount of it”, said Deputy Commissioner Khairpur, Fayyaz Abbasi.

The couple was shifted to Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) Hospital, Larkana on Aug 17, where Kamran died.

He was shifted to a ventilator earlier when he showed no signs of improvement.

“We tried to arrange air ambulance but it was not available. Edhi’s air ambulance was undergoing overhauling”, said District Commissioner Abbasi, adding that Sindh Health Minister was interested in having him shifted to Karachi to save his life.

Police have arrested five persons including the bride's father, Ahsan Shah and her uncles, Tahseen Shah and Murad Shah. The groom's father, Ghulam Rasool, and his brother, Imran, are also under arrest.

Police has lodged a First Information Report (FIR) — under section 324 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) — on behalf of the state after it arrested the accused persons on a tip provided by a police constable, Ashraf Leghari.

Whoever does any act with such intention or knowledge, and under such circumstances, that, if he by that act caused qatl, he would be guilty of qatl-i-amd, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, [but shall not be less than five years, if the offence has been committed in the name or on the pretext of honour], and shall also be liable to fine, and, if hurt is caused to any person by such act, the offender shall [in addition to the imprisonment and fine as aforesaid] be liable to the punishment provided for the hurt caused:

Provided that, where the punishment for the hurt is qisas which is not executable, the offender shall be liable to arsh and may also be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years. — Section 324, Pakistan Penal Code.

Tahira's uncle, who serves in Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE), is termed as the prime suspect in the case.

As per reports, he was arrested from the place of offence – the residence where they were forced to drink poison – but he was let off by police.

Khairpur SSP revealed the bride's condition to be perfect and said that she would be presented in court Monday to record her statement under Section 164 of PPC.

“Following Tahira’s initial statement we have arrested ASI Shamshad Shah from Shahdadpur on Saturday where he was attending a police course”, said the SSP.

She is admitted in Larakana CMC intensive care unit (ICU) under police protection.