Honor Killing? Husband charged with murder of severed hand Mum in London

After 11 years of marriage Geeta Aulakh, a young mother of 2, wanted out and for that she was viciously attacked, left dying on a London street, and later died from massive head wounds, and a severed right hand. At first her husband denied any guilt, but he has now been charged with murdering her. He was one of several men arrested in connection with Geeta's murder.

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Harpreet Aulakh, 31, will appear before London's Feltham Magistrates'

Court next week charged with murder.

According to her sister, Anita Shihn, Geeta apparently felt threatened by her husband whom she had been separated from since last year. He was desperately trying to win her back.

'She feared for her life but she wasn't able to talk about it to anyone. She didn't want to worry us'.

Initially police were not entertaining any notion that this might be an honor killing, but it appears they might have changed their minds, since they are now looking into the possibility. And although they believe the severing of the hand has no particular significance, a friend of Geeta's thinks otherwise:

"It's horrific but hugely symbolic that Geeta's right hand was cut off. She was a Sikh and all Sikhs wear a metal bangle, the kara, on their right wrist. It is a permanent reminder to live a moral and good life and once it's on you can't get it off. So her murderer was both dishonouring her and perhaps trying to show she had been dishonourable - which is just barbaric."

Ironically, Geeta's parents had not wanted her to marry Harpreet believing she could do better. It turns out they were right- she was the sole provider for the family of 4, since it appears he was jobless and quite happy to remain that way. Sometimes parents know best.