There is no honour in killing for honour, it is a cold-blooded murder
The murder of Dalit Christian Kevin in Kerala has not only shocked the state but also entire India. With his wife Neenu levelling against her parents for killing Kevin, there are several such cases in the southern states of India are still waiting for justice.
FollowThe murder of Dalit Christian Kevin in Kerala has not only shocked the state but also entire India. With his wife Neenu levelling against her parents for killing Kevin, there are several such cases in the southern states of India are still waiting for justice.
Kerala
Kevin was in love with Neenu, but she couldn't convince parents because they were more worried about Kevin's financial status and took it as a prestige issue. But shockingly after being abducted, Kevin's body was found floating in a river on May 28. His head, eyes and internal organs were severely injured. Kevin and Neenu were married for just three days and were forced to live separately for their safety.
Just two months back, the murder of Athira allegedly by her father as she was getting married to a Dalit man made headlines in March.
Karnataka
In Karnataka too there are many cases of daughters and son-in-laws being killed mostly by the parents of the girl to save their honour or prestige. Some don't mind being called murderers but want this to be a lesson for others planning to follow the suit. Really? There is a need for a massive change of the attitude and programmes or schemes to save the innocents from falling prey to such atrocious honour.
Recently in Mandya, 20-year-old Sushmitha was killed by her father as she wanted to get married to a Dalit man she knew from her childhood, who stayed in the neighbouring village. He hanged her and then burnt her body and buried the ashes in the premises of his house in March this year.
In another incident, 20-year-old Banu Attar got married to 21-year-old Saybanna Kennur and settled down in Goa as Banu's parents were against their relationship. When Banu became pregnant she was sure that her parents will forgive and accept them and left to meet them along with Saybanna. But they had sent Saybanna away and burnt their pregnant daughter. Sensing danger, when Saybanna returned he saw his wife and unborn child burning on the pyre and was also beaten up badly.
Andhra Pradesh
A 30-year-old agricultural extension officer in Kurnool district was allegedly killed by her brother as she wanted to get married to her colleague who belonged to a different caste. Victim Lalitha was reported missing on April 28 but later her mortal remains were found. Do even the educated have no choice when it comes to marriage? Caste more important that sister's happiness?
Telangana
This instance proves that people can wait for years together to take revenge. Satish and Himabindu had got married against the wishes of Himabindu's parents. His brother-in-law and uncle waited for nine years and killed him. Surprisingly at least 5 cases of honour killing were reported in Telangana last year.
 Tamil Nadu
Justice in the Kausalya case was a ray of hope but looks like unless there is a change of attitude in people, there will be no end to such brutal mentality. Kausalya was married to a Dalit graduate Sankar in 2015. But Kausalya's parents along with a group of men armed with lethal weapons attacked the couple who had come to the market. Sankar was brutally attacked and died on the spot, whereas Kausalya survived multiple injuries. The entire incident was recorded on CCTV and Kausalya became a whistleblower and filed a case against her parents and relatives and made sure they serve a jail term.
In another shocking case in Tamil Nadu in 2003, 25-year-old Murugesan, a graduate in chemical engineering, and 22-year-old Kannagi, a commerce graduate with a diploma from Puthukkooraippettai, about 200 km from Chennai, fell in love with each other when they were students at Annamalai University in Chidambaram. They got married on May 5, 2003, under the Hindu Marriage Registration Rules, 1967. The couple did not reveal the information to the parents. When Murugesan got a job, he took Kannagi away without the knowledge of her parents as by then they had come to know about their relationship and tried to keep her under house arrest. In two days Kannagi's parents caught hold of Murugesan and tortured him and made him reveal the whereabouts of Kannagi. Then both were brought back to the village, forced to consume poison and their bodies were burnt.
There is no pride in killing. There is no honour in killing. Be it parents or relatives whoever is involved in such killings including in the name of honour must be tried and punished for cold-blooded murder.
