Teenage Daughter Murdered By Father, Grandfather Over Affair: Is Falling In Love A Crime?

The simple and natural act of falling in love is an unforgivable crime for most Indian girls. In a shocking incident, a 16-year-old teenage girl was reportedly murdered by her father over objections to her romantic relationship with a boy from her village, and then her body was dumped into a nearby river.

Honour killing refers to the act of killing a person, typically a woman, who chooses to have a romantic relationship that conflicts with the wishes of her family. In such cases, the family's primary motivation is to protect their reputation and social standing rather than prioritising the well-being of their loved ones.

Minor killed by father over love affair

The authorities have detained Radheyshyam Kewat, the father of the young girl, Sitaram, her grandfather, and Lahri, another person, in connection with the murder.

Even though it is 2023, such cases of honour killing can still be seen in the country. Although they are officially reported, the frequency of these crimes is much higher than what is published in mainstream media outlets. Additionally, these violent acts are often classified as homicides, attacks, or abductions under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which makes it challenging to address the root cause and nature of these incidents.

Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Anand stated that the body had been discovered in the Rapti river on Saturday.

He mentioned that the girl had developed feelings for a boy from her village, but her family was opposed to their relationship.

Why was she subjected to this horrendous punishment? Only because she fell in love? At a time, when women are taking leaps of faith, stepping out of their homes and creating an identity for themselves, do they really deserve such treatment? All in the name of honour?

On Saturday, while the family was heading back home from a relative's house, they once again attempted to discourage the girl from pursuing the boy, but she remained resolute. The accused became angry and used a knife to murder her, putting her body in a sack and disposing of it in the river, according to the police officer's account.

In another similar incident, a 19-year-old daughter was allegedly murdered and buried secretly by her father, a 58-year-old man named Lallan Ali, in Hindpur village of Karchana. Lallan Ali seemed to object to his daughter's relationship with a boy from Mirzapur.

Do these men have any remorse over killing their own daughters? How disgusting of a person do you have to be in order to murder your own daughter? These two incidents only prove how little men think of women, even women of their own blood. Despite being in the twenty-first century, most of the country still has this regressive patriarchal mindset where family members prefer silencing their women rather than watching them have their own mind, capable of making their own decisions.

Suggested reading: Shocking Case Of Honour Killing: Man Kills Son For Marrying Girl Of Different Caste