Social evil back in spotlight as Chennai honour killing victim's wife kills self
Sharmila was distressed by slow progress of investigation into Praveen’s murder; her parents sought bail for her brother Dinesh, one of the 5 murder suspects
Two months after Chennai was rocked by an alleged incident of 'honour killing', the spotlight is back on the case. The murdered man’s distraught wife allegedly died by suicide even as the murder probe is progressing at a snail’s pace.
Sharmila (20), who was in hospital for a week following an alleged suicide attempt, died on Monday (April 22).
Praveen, a Dalit, had married Sharmila, belonging to an OBC caste, in October 2023. He was murdered in February 2023, allegedly by a five-member gang that included Sharmila's brother Dinesh.
Deeply distressed
Sharmila’s mother-in-law Chitra told the media that her daughter was deeply distressed by the slow progress of investigation into Praveen’s death. Chitra said Sharmila had also expressed concern for her own safety, especially since her parents had recently sought bail for her brother.
Praveen’s family has been alleging the investigation into his death has been excruciatingly slow because of Sharmila’s father’s political connections.
Chennai's Pallikaranai police, however, claimed that there was no delay in the investigation, and an inquiry into Sharmila’s death has also been initiated promptly.
Lack of numbers
The incident has once again highlighted the lack of stringent laws to protect couples against caste-based persecution and provisions of speedy trials in such cases. As far back as in 2012, the Law Commission of India had recommended a separate Bill to address 'honour killing' cases, which is yet to be put in place.
According to recent statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 25 cases of 'honour killings' were reported in India annually, from 2019 to 2021. But experts suggest the NCRB figure might be lower than the actual occurrences, as many cases are classified under other categories such as murders related to love affairs or violence against women.
Evidence NGO, which documents 'honour killings' and crimes, recorded over 28 cases between 2022 and 2024 in Tamil Nadu alone.
Curse of casteism
Dr Shanthi Ravindranath, a member of the Social Justice Monitoring Committee established by the Tamil Nadu government, emphasised the urgent need to raise awareness among school and college students about the adverse effects of casteism.
“It’s a collective failure of our society. There are many instances of school children discriminating against their own classmates in the name of caste, with students wearing coloured threads on their wrists to display caste pride,” she said.
“In the case of inter-caste marriages, especially between Dalits and OBCs, instances of 'honour killing' have been increasingly reported in recent years. There is an urgent need in Tamil Nadu to address 'honour killings' firmly,” she said.
Tip of the iceberg
As a member of the Committee, Shanthi has visited many villages where violence and severe attacks because of caste biases have been reported. She pointed out that 'honour killings' are just the tip of the iceberg.
“As a society, we have to evolve towards equality. There are several caste-based graveyards in our state. The rate of inter-caste marriages is just 2.3 per cent, according to private research firms. Caste-based vote bank gains importance in elections, from ward members to MP candidates. With these differences being the root cause, the fight against 'honour killing' is really tough,” she said.
She stressed that the government must document 'honour killings' and inter-caste marriages every year to understand the ground reality.
Minister’s response
When The Federal asked Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Minister P Geetha Jeevan about the safety measures for the surviving spouses of 'honour killings', she said the government’s focus was mainly on eradicating child marriages and making welfare schemes available for inter-caste couples.
“We are conducting awareness programmes for the youth about the availability of government-run short-stay homes for their protection. The government also encourages inter-caste marriages and offers support to couples, such as reservation in government jobs. It is disheartening to know the involvement of young people in 'honour killings' and similar crimes,” she said.
(Suicides can be prevented. For help please call Suicide Prevention Helplines: Neha Suicide Prevention Centre – 044-24640050; Aasara helpline for suicide prevention, emotional support & trauma help — +91-9820466726; Kiran, Mental health rehabilitation — 1800-599-0019, Disha 0471- 2552056, Maithri 0484 2540530, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
