Honour Killings Rise In India: Do We Truly Understand 'Ghar ki Izzat'?

In India, where traditions carve deep furrows into the soil of societal consciousness, a silent menace thrives—honour killings. These are not just acts of violence; they are rituals performed in the name of 'Ghar ki Izzat'—the honour of our household. Honour killings in India are a pervasive issue, far more widespread than official statistics and mainstream media portray. A recent incident in Uttar Pradesh's Badaun district has once again brought to light the gruesome reality of honour killings. A 40-year-old man allegedly hacked his 19-year-old daughter and her 20-year-old lover to death with a spade, traversing 13 kilometres to surrender at a police station.

The recent horror in the Badaun district thrusts us into the epicentre of a societal dilemma, where the phrase "Ghar ki Izzat" becomes a harbinger of doom. 

Father Surrenders After Brutal Spade Attack on Daughter and Her Lover

A 40-year-old man, Mahesh, allegedly brutally hacked his 19-year-old daughter, Neetu, and her 20-year-old lover, Jaypal, to death with a spade. What makes this gruesome crime even more disturbing is Mahesh's brazen act of walking over 13 kilometres to surrender himself at the Bilsi police station, carrying the murder weapon with him.

The horrifying episode took place around 4.30 am on Tuesday when Mahesh reportedly spotted Neetu and Jaypal meeting secretly. Fueled by rage, Mahesh attacked the young couple, vehemently opposing their relationship due to differences in caste. The disfigured bodies of Neetu and Jaypal were later discovered in Parauli village.  The aftermath revealed a family desecrating the lifeless bodies, a grotesque manifestation of the societal forces that drive such acts.

Bilsi Circle Officer (CO) Sushil Singh disclosed that Mahesh, unrelenting in his resolve, carried the blood-stained spade to the Bilsi police station to surrender. The police promptly arrested him and his wife, Bhagmati. Shockingly, other members of Mahesh's family were allegedly seen mutilating the lifeless bodies of the victims.

While the Superintendent of Police (SP), O.P. Singh, asserted that both Neetu and Jaypal belonged to Scheduled Caste (SC) families, Jaypal's father contradicted this, stating that they are from Other Backward Class (OBC).

An FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by Jaypal's father, citing charges under IPC sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), and 34 (common intention). The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.

Motivations Behind Honour Killings

To comprehend the gravity of honour killings, one must delve into the cultural intricacies embedded in the phrase "Ghar ki Izzat"—the honour of our household. This isn't a mere adage; it's a mandate that governs lives, shackling individuals to a predetermined destiny dictated by archaic societal norms. Honour killings find their origins in a society unwilling to relinquish the grip of tradition. Love that defies caste boundaries, pre-marital relationships, or unions that deviate from familial expectations becomes the catalyst for a gruesome display of power and control.

The fear of being 'outcasted' and societal humiliation drives families to resort to planned murders. The power behind honour killings lies in the status and pride individuals attach to their castes, sub-castes, and religions. The focus on the 'purity' of the family and a strong sense of belonging to a particular social segment have led to the appalling manifestation of patriarchy in the form of honour killings.

Alarming Underreporting and Misclassification

One of the critical challenges to addressing honour killings is the lack of specific laws to deal with them. While the law treats honour killings as 'murder,' it fails to recognize the larger conspiracy involving social support.

While the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 25 honour killings in 2019 and 2020 and 33 in 2021, the actual figures might be significantly higher due to underreporting.

The NCRB attempts to quantify the horror, yet the lack of a specialized legal framework results in underreported and misclassified cases. Honour killings slip through the cracks, perpetuating an unending cycle of violence. The absence of a comprehensive database impedes efforts to understand the true scale of this epidemic.

Despite recommendations by the Law Commission of India in 2012 for a specific law, the legislative response has been lacking. 

The Supreme Court, in 2006, vehemently condemned honour killings, labelling them as 'barbaric and shameful acts of murder.' It emphasized the illegality of violence, threats, or harassment against those engaging in inter-caste or inter-religious marriages. The court upheld the individual's right to choose a life partner, asserting that once a person becomes a major, they can marry whomever they please.

A Cry for Change

Amidst the cacophony of news reports, each headline—"Alleged honour killing victims found bound," "Woman's father, brother booked for honour killing," "Father kills daughter in a suspected case of honour killing"—is a resounding plea for change. This isn't just a legal or social issue; it's a moral crisis that demands introspection and decisive action. The burden of tradition—the refusal to let individuals decide their destinies—has given rise to a dark underbelly that continues to claim innocent lives.

Chronicle of Recent Honour Killings in India

Recent incidents, such as the alleged honour killing of Shivani Tomar and Radheshyam Tomar in Madhya Pradesh, expose the grim reality of social conservatism's brutality in both rural and urban landscapes. 

1. Punjab, May 2023: In Punjab, Manpreet Kaur and Gurdeep Singh fell victim to the brutal grip of archaic beliefs. A love affair met its end when Manpreet's father and brother unleashed violence, leaving the bodies to be taken by raging river currents.

2. Tirupati, February 2023: Alamuru Village in Tirupati became a witness to an unspeakable tragedy when a father's warped sense of 'izzat' led him to behead his own daughter. Prasanna Reddy, in love with a man from a different caste, faced the ultimate price of challenging societal norms.

3. Karnataka, June 2023: Tumakuru witnessed the demise of Nethravathy, a victim of a suspected honour killing. A father, a local leader with influence, couldn't stomach his daughter's relationship with a boy from a different caste, and the family's attempt to silence her through forced pesticide consumption took a dark turn, culminating in her strangulation and cremation.

4. Rohtak, February 2023: Divya's story in Rithal Narwal village of Rohtak unfolded against the backdrop of familial disapproval. Her love for a boy from her village, unapproved by her family, spiralled into a tragic story of assault and, ultimately, her own death.

5. Uttar Pradesh, May 2023: In Bajnagar, Uttar Pradesh, the echoes of another alleged honour killing reverberate. A 20-year-old woman paid the ultimate price for daring to defy societal norms by eloping and marrying outside her caste. The heinous act, where her own uncle slit her throat, underscores the extent to which antiquated notions of honour can drive individuals to commit unspeakable acts.

The battle against honour killings is an arduous one, requiring not just legislative amendments but a societal transformation. It demands a collective introspection into our values, challenging the deeply ingrained norms that perpetuate this cycle of violence. It calls for empathy, understanding, and reevaluating what izzat' truly means in the 21st century. The time has come to break the chains that bind and to let love flourish, unbridled and unburdened by the weight of archaic expectations. Only then can we truly free ourselves from the grip of honour killings and pave the way for a future where love triumphs over tradition.

Views expressed are the author's own.