Honey, I Killed the Kids!

To be young and in love has proved fatal for many young girls and boys in parts of north India as an intolerant and bigoted society refuses to accept any violation of its rigid code of decorum, especially when it comes to women.

For those who aren’t aware, an ‘honour killing’ is carried out when family members murder another family member who has brought disgrace and shame on the family. Usually, in India, it takes place over an “inappropriate” relationship or marriage outside caste or religion.

In my opinion, while the Domestic Violence Act requires review and since even women now can be prosecuted under the PWDVA, ‘Honour Killings’ should also be included with separate consequences, like the case of Sati and dowry where there are specific laws with maximum and minimum terms of punishment. There is no specific law to deal with honour killings. The murders come under the general categories of Culpable Homicide (Sec.299) or Murder (Sec.300) with punishment under Sec. 302 as stated in the Indian Penal Code.

In many cases, the victims who run away with ‘unsuitable’ partners are lured back home after FIRs are filed by their families. The police cannot be unaware that in many cases they are coming back to certain death at the hands of their relatives and fellow villagers. Yet, pre-emptive action to protect them is never taken. Undoubtedly, the virus of caste and class that affects those carrying out such crimes affects the police in the area too. But that can be no excuse to sanction murder. Active policing and serious penal sanctions is the only antidote to this most dishonourable practice.

What is also so horrible, apart from the killing itself, is how it’s carried out. The person can be burned alive, tortured, maimed, and/or beaten to death. Such extreme action, just to follow the norms of society! A large part of this problem in villages is due to the strong presence of a panchayat or informal court, which consists of members of the same caste and decides all matters relating to their community.

However, India’s most recent honour killing took place in Delhi — not a village. The parents who murdered their 19 year old daughter and her 19 year old fiancé said that they had been left no alternative. Their daughter’s deed frustrated them, and they didn’t regret killing the couple, a euphemism for doing away with anyone seen as spoiling the family’s reputation. These are socially sanctioned by caste panchayats and carried out by mobs with the connivance of family members.

Research indicates that the majority of honour killings happen in the north Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Bihar. Honour killings are rare to non-existent in south India, and also the western Indian states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. There have been no honour killings in West Bengal in over 100 years, thanks to the influence and activism of reformists like Vivekananda, Ramakrishna, Vidyasagar and Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

The issue of honour killings really indicates the extremities of life in India — not just from rich to poor, but from cities to villages. While India’s cities are progressing at a rapid rate, and love marriages are becoming more and more prevalent, many villages are not. There, the caste system remains as strong as ever, and the reputation of the caste is of utmost importance — sometimes more important than a human life.The usual remedy to such murders is to suggest that society must be prevailed upon to be more gender-sensitive and shed prejudices of caste and class. Efforts should be made to sensitise people on the need to do away with social biases.

The fact is, you can move to the city but you still can’t escape the scrutiny and judgements of the village.

To read more here’s a TOI article- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Honour-killings-North-India-wages-a-vicious-war-against-love/articleshow/6112387.cms