Shillong, Sept. 10: A horticulture official who chased his daughter’s paramour, threw him into a river and then strangulated him to death after finding that the fall had not killed him, today proudly upheld the “honour killing” as a service to his family.

Wilki Syiemiong, an assistant horticulture official posted in Nongpoh, found out some time ago that a 26-year-old former employee of his department, Julius Marbaniang, was having an affair with his 13-year-old daughter, Eureka Rymbai, who studies in a Shillong school.

Police, who arrested Syiemiong last night, said he and his driver, Sylvanius Marwein, stood spying on Julius when he went to meet Eureka at her school yesterday afternoon.

As Julius proceeded towards his village in Smit in his vehicle after meeting the girl, Syiemiong followed him.

He intercepted Julius’s vehicle near Lad Nongkrem, pulled him out and forced him into his car.

As Syiemiong’s car carrying Julius was about to cross Madanriting police point, traffic police personnel motioned the car to stop.

As the driver sped away, the alerted police noticed the car again at Nongmynsong when they were proceeding towards Mawdiangdiang.

Suspecting that the car was carrying militants, the Special Operation Team of the police gave chase.

At Mawdiangdiang, they found the father and his driver standing in front of Julius’s body.

According to his confession statement, Syiemiong first assaulted Julius in a forest at Mawdiangdiang, on the outskirts of Shillong.

When Julius fell unconscious, Syiemiong and Marwein threw the body into Umsawli river near Mawdiangdiang, presuming him dead.

When they found that Julius was still alive, they rushed to the riverbank, where Syiemiong strangled him to death.

Both Syiemiong and Marwein were arrested yesterday and remanded in five days’ police custody today.

The superintendent of police (city), Claudia Lyngwa, said the father acted as though he had accomplished a task in honour of his daughter.

“Syiemiong told us that he had accomplished something great for his family and for his only daughter and that he was willing to serve any amount of jail term,” Lyngwa said.

The accused, after confessing to the crime, told the police that Julius was a nuisance to his family as he frequently met her daughter, who was still a minor.

He said he had earlier sought police help but since the police could not solve the problem he had taken the drastic step of killing his daughter’s lover.

Messages found on Julius’s mobile phone suggest he was deeply in love with the girl.