Upset Over Her Online Reels, West Bengal Man Slits Wife's Throat

A young boy came home to the horrifying site of his mother lying dead in a pool of blood. The woman was killed by his father, allegedly for her social media activity. The class 7 minor son revealed to reporters that his father, who is yet to be found, frequently threatened to kill the 32-year-old woman for the same reason. 

The deceased woman, Aparna Baidya, was killed by her 38-year-old husband, Parimal in their house in Harinarayanpur in South 24 Parganas district's Joynagar. When their son found his mother lying dead, he alerted their neighbour, who told reporters that Parimal picked up a boti (an instrument used to cut vegetables and meat) and attacked his wife, who died from the injuries.

Killed For Using Social Media

The Baidya couple had been married for 17 years, and have two children, a son and a younger daughter. Their son said that Parimal disapproved of Aparna posting Instagram reels and making online friends. He alleged that his father used to abuse and threaten Aparna to "cut her up into several pieces." According to reports, police sources also said that due to their frequent arguments, Aparna had even left her husband for some time and gone to her parents' place. Parimal, who is a mason by profession, is absconding.

"We have recovered the murder weapon. We have launched a search for Parimal. The body has been sent for postmortem," a police officer told the media. "The couple used to have frequent disputes ever since she started making reels and posting them on social media. The woman had made several friends and she was in regular touch with them, particularly, an official of a money-lending agency, over the phone. Her husband did not like that," said a police officer.

Controlling Behaviour

According to reports, Parimal Baidya had a pattern of controlling behaviour. The mason went to the extent of killing his wife over a dispute that could have been solved by having a two-way conversation, counselling, or even divorce if the relationship was that sour. But Parimal resorted to a violent crime, causing lifelong fear and trauma to their young children. 

Most femicides committed in the hands of their male partners are a result of the men attempting to have a tight grip on women, as they think that their partners are their playthings. These men feel the need to control their partners' every activity, be it their social media usage, choice of dress, friendships, or careers, according to their own liking. This shows that our legal system is falling short of changing society's mentality towards women, and while "you are able to vote now" continues to be used as an argument against today's feminists, there is still a long battle to be fought for women's autonomy. 

Views expressed by the author are their own