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Police: Jonesboro Man Killed Daughter Who Wanted Out Of Arranged Marriage

Victim Had No Contact With Husband For 3 Months

Sunday, July 6, 2008 – updated: 6:47 pm EDT July 7, 2008

A 25-year-old Jonesboro woman is dead after police said she told her father she wanted out of an arranged marriage.

Police said they found Sandela Kanwal’s body inside a home in the 9600 block of Utah Drive in Jonesboro. They said Kanwal had been strangled to death by her father, Chaudhry Rashid, 56.

Chaudhry Rashid
Police said Chaudhry Rashid strangled his 25-year-old daughter to death because she wanted out of an arranged marriage. Full Story ››

“Apparently, she had been married and has had no contact with her husband who lives in Chicago for the last three months,” said Tim Owens of the Clayton County Police Department.

Owens said the victim and her father argued over the marriage and the fact that it had been arranged. “At some point during the altercation, he ended up killing his daughter,” said Owens.

According to a police report obtained by Channel 2, the victim's mother said she heard screams coming from another bedroom.

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Police said they have encountered numerous challenges with the case, particularly because of a language barrier.

Authorities are not saying how the victim was killed.

Police said the family is from Pakistan. Neighbors were shocked to hear about the tragedy. “My heart goes out. They seemed to be decent, lovely people,” said neighbor Veronda Luckett.

Rashid appeared in Clayton County Magistrate Court for his first appearance before a judge Monday but it did not go as planned because of a language barrier. The judge rescheduled the hearing for Tuesday when an interpreter could be present.

Rashid remains in jail charged with murder.

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