The Mathura Police has arrested a man and wife for killing their 21-year-old daughter, packing her body into a suitcase and dumping it on the Yamuna Expressway. The case, being called an honour killing, adds to the long list of such crimes that continue to shame India
India’s Shame: Yamuna Expressway murder is a grim reminder of ‘honour’ killings in the country
Honour killings continue in India, bringing shame to the nation. Image used for representational purposes/AFP
While the country still grapples with the gruesome details that keep emerging from the Shraddha Walkar murder case, the Uttar Pradesh Police has solved the case of a woman’s body found stuffed in a suitcase near the Yamuna Expressway in Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura four days ago. The cops have arrested the woman’s parents in the crime, in what they have described as an ‘honour killing’.
According to the authorities, the body of a 21-year-old woman was found stuff in a travel bag on 18 November and she was shot dead allegedly by her family as they weren’t happy as she had married without their approval. The cops added that the woman’s mother was aware of the killing and even helped the father in disposing the body along the Yamuna Expressway.
“The woman, Ayushi, had a fight with her father on 17 November. She had got married to a man of her choice because of which her family was unhappy. Enraged over this, her father had shot her twice on 17 November after the argument,” acting Senior Superintendent of Police Martand Prakash Singh said.
Ayushi’s mother, Brajbala Yadav, then helped Nitesh Yadav in stuffing the body in a suitcase and accompanied him to dump the body on a service road in Raya near the Vrindavan cut along the Expressway, some 150 km away from their Badapur home.
“The victim’s father Nitesh Yadav and mother Brajbala Yadav have been arrested and sent to jail. They have been booked under Sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information, to screen offender) of the IPC,” Acting Senior Superintendent of Police Martand Prakash Singh said.
“Brajbala Yadav may not have shot her daughter, but she was involved in disposing of the body and had accompanied her husband to Mathura in a car,” he added.
The murder of Ayushi has once again thrown the spotlight on honour killings in the country. Let’s take a closer look at the issue and the horrific cases that questioned our belief that ‘love conquers all’.
Honour killings in India
‘Hamare ghar ki izzat’ is the root cause of this heinous crime — killing for honour, a death that is awarded to the women or men by their own family members for marrying against their wishes or having a pre-marital relationship, marrying within the same gotra or marrying outside their caste.
Human Rights Watch defines honour killings as “acts of violence, usually murder, committed by male family members against female family members who are perceived to have brought dishonour upon the family by being romantically involved with or choosing to marry men outside their caste, class or religion.
According to activist Kathir Vincent, director of Evidence — an NGO working to protect the human rights of Dalit and Tribal people in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry — women constitute almost 97 percent of honour killing victims.
Also read: ‘Honour killing’ in Kerala: Kevin-Neenu case indicative of a bigger, more frightening trend
Honour killings are also under reported in the country, as relatives destroy any evidence to the contrary or as Vincent said to The Swaddle they are treated as homicides by the police, or as atrocities against scheduled castes and tribes, since lower-caste men who are involved with upper-caste women are the next-most vulnerable group to honour killings.
As per the information published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), there were 33 cases of honour killings across the country in 2021, with Jharkhand and Punjab recording the maximum cases — eight each.
NCRB data reveals that in 2020 there were a total of 25 such cases while in 2019 there were 24 such instances recorded. In 2018 and the preceding year (2017), the country saw a total of 29 and 92 cases respectively. In 2016, 2015 and 2014, there were 77, 251 and 28 cases recorded respectively.
Indias Shame Yamuna Expressway murder is a grim reminder of honour killings in the country
The cases of honour killings in India since 2014. Graphic: Pranay Bhardwaj
The infamous killings that rocked India
In March 2021, a father murdered his 19-year-old daughter for eloping with her Dalit paramour in Rajasthan’s Dausa district. Three months later in July, news emerged that a 17-year-old Dalit boy’s genitals had been cut off by the family of the Brahmin girl he was dating in Muzaffarpur.
December of last year also saw a 17-year-old boy beheading his 19-year-old sister for marrying a man of her choice in Aurangabad’s Ladgaon village.
The Udumalpet honour killing case of 2016 shocked the nation to its core. Twenty-two-year-old Shankar was killed in a busy market in Tamil Nadu’s Udumalpet for marrying Kausalya, a woman from the region’s dominant Thevar caste. Their marriage had been strongly opposed by Kausalya’s parents, who hired killers to eliminate the young couple. When the couple was walking near Udumalpet Town bus stand, they were brutally attacked by a three-member gang. Shankar died on the spot, while Kausalya survived with minor injuries.
Prior to the Udumalpet case, another horrific honour killing that made headlines across the country was that of Deepti Chhikara in June 2012. The young woman, a school teacher, was strangled to death by her mother Birmati and brother Mohit, and later her uncle Amit helped the duo in disposing of the body in Uttarakhand.
It later emerged that Deepti had wanted to marry one Lalit Vats, but her family was opposed to the match as he was from a different caste. Deepti was allegedly killed in April but her family didn’t register any complaint. It was Lalit who alerted the police to the fact that Deepti had been missing since she went to her maternal home.
In 2010, Monica and Kuldeep, along with Monica’s sister Shobha were killed by their family members in Delhi. Monica had married Kuldeep, who was a Rajput boy, and their families did not approve of the alliance. Both of them belonged to the Wazipur village of Delhi. Shobha on the other hand was involved in a relationship with a boy belonging to another caste and had reportedly helped her sister elope.
According to an IBN-Live report, the three accused —Ankit Chaudary, Mandeep Nagar and Nakul Khari — had claimed that “there was a lot of pressure on them and that’s why they did this (murder).”
At the time of the murder, the family had shockingly justified the killing and Dharamveer Nagar, the uncle of Mandeep and co-accused Ankit, had said that the killings were necessary to uphold the family’s honour. Ankit was Monica’s brother, while Mandeep was Shobha’s brother.
Another honour killing case in 2010 was when 19-year-old Asha Saini and her boyfriend Yogesh, 20, were tortured, electrocuted and beaten to death by the girl’s family in Delhi’s Swarup Nagar.
According to a report published by Rediff.com, the girl’s family had disapproved of her relationship with Yogesh, a driver. The couple was tortured in a flat owned by Asha’s uncle Omprakash and even neighbours who heard the couple wailing for hours and begging for help didn’t step in to help. Allegedly the family threatened the neighbours and told them to “mind their own business,” said the Rediff report.
In May of the same year, Nirupama Pathak, who was working as journalist with a business daily in Delhi, was murdered by her family in Jharkhand because she was in a relationship with a man from a lower caste.
It was reported that Nirupama was dating Priyabhanshu Ranjan, a colleague and friend, and the two were planning to marry in an Arya Samaj mandir. While her mother called it a case of suicide, a post-mortem revealed that the journalist was smothered to death and that she was 10-12 weeks pregnant at the time of her murder. Nirupama’s mother was arrested but later the court set her free as the police found a suicide note signed by Nirupama.
Perhaps, the most infamous honour killing in India. A business executive and son of an IAS officer, Nitish Katara was murdered on 17 February 2002 by Vikas Yadav, the son of Uttar Pradesh politician DP Yadav.
Nitish had been in a relationship with DP Yadav’s daughter Bharti Yadav for a long time and the girl’s family did not approve of the relationship.
Nitish’s body was later found on a highway and it was stated that he had been battered to death with a hammer, following which diesel was poured on him and he was set on fire. The murder was committed by Vikas (Bharti’s real brother) and Vishal Yadav (Bharti’s cousin brother), and Sukhdev Pehalwan (a hired contract killer).
While the Supreme Court had awarded a 25-year jail term without any benefit of remission to Vikas Yadav and his cousin Vishal for their role in the crime, Sukhdev Pehalwan was handed down a 20-year jail term in the case.
Alleging that a Dalit couple’s 15-year-old son Karunakaran tore a banner of Muthuramalinga Thevar, a six member gang hurled casteist abuses and threatened them.
A 38-year-old Dalit man was hacked to death and his 15-year-old son was assaulted by a three-member gang in Thoothukudi, on November 13, claiming that the boy had torn a banner of Muthuramalinga Thevar that was installed during ‘Thevar Jayanthi’ celebration. Though there were six people in the group, only three indulged in violence, while the others hurled casteist abuses. However, only the three persons who attacked the duo have been arrested so far. Muthuramalinga Thevar is regarded as an important figure in the Thevar caste-cluster and his birthday falls on October 30 which is celebrated grandly in various southern Tamil Nadu districts.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Thoothukudi South police based on a complaint by Marimuthu’s wife Radha (37), there was a banner near their residence on Thevar Jayanthi day, which was later found torn. Marimuthu and Radha belong to the Paraiyar caste, a Scheduled Caste community. Radha’s complaint said that a six member gang – Mugesh alias Panai, Pathirakalimuthu alias Muthupandi, Jeyaraj alias Jeyamuthulingam, Mugesh’s father – Shanmugavel and his brothers Meeran and Murali – came to their house, alleging that their 15-year-old son Karunakaran tore the banner, hurled casteist abuses and threatened them, on November 11.
Police say that Mugesh belongs to Paraiyar caste, Pathirakalimuthu is from the Thevar caste and Jeya Muthulingam belongs to Nadar caste. On the same day, the six member gang had also gone to the police station to file a complaint against the boy. But Marimuthu agreed to pay them Rs 1500 as compensation for the banner and the issue was resolved.
However, on November 13, three of the six member gang – Pathirakalimuthu, Mugesh and Jeyamuthulingam allegedly beat up Karunakaran and Marimuthu tried to stop it. That was when Mugesh allegedly chased the father-son duo. He first attacked Karunakaran with a machete on his back and on his hand, and then assaulted Marimuthu with the machete. As Mugesh was stopped by Marimuthu’s wife and mother, Pathirakalimuthu took the machete from him and started assaulting Marimuthu.
Further, Mugesh took the machete again and attacked Marimuthu brutally. Meanwhile, Jayamuthulingam was beating up Karunakaran. After the trio fled from the spot, the father and son were taken to Thoothukudi Government Hospital, where Marimuthu was declared dead on arrival. Karunakaran is still undergoing treatment.
Radha alleged that Shanmugavel, Mugesh’s father, was watching the attack and hurling casteist abuses all the while. Stating that the six persons conspired and murdered her husband and that she was scared for her and her family’s life, Radha filed a complaint seeking action against them.
Speaking to TNM, Kathir, founder of Evidence, an NGO that works for Dalit rights alleged that this was a pre-planned murder. He said, “Marimuthu and his family live in a Dalit settlement. In a place dominated by caste Hindu communities, can a Dalit person place a banner of Ambedkar? Especially in southern Tamil Nadu, which is prone to caste conflicts?” He added that people have the freedom to place banners of any leader they want to but one must also be aware of ground realities.
Kathir said that the banner of Muthuramalinga Thevar had been placed before Thevar Jayanthi but the problem began on November 11. “Karunakaran’s father went to the police station and even paid Rs 1500 as compensation for the poster. But that was not enough for them. They wanted revenge and ended up killing the father and injuring the son,” Kathir said.
In a press release issued by Evidence, Kathir mentioned that the people accused in the murder should not be given bail until the case is heard and a judgement has been passed. He also demanded that the state government must offer a monthly pension of Rs 15,000 to Marimuthu’s family and government employment to one of his family members.
Muthuramalinga Thevar is a polarising personality, and events during his birth anniversary trigger tensions in many areas of Tamil Nadu. In 1957, Immanuel Sekaran a dalit leader was killed by Maravars or Thevars. This happened a day after Sekaran refused to stand up for Muthuramalinga Thevar at a meeting. ‘He is not a leader to me. He wanted to destroy my whole community,” Sekaran said. The meeting was held after the Mukkulathor riots in which 42 dalits were slain following tensions with Maravars, who are a sub-caste of Thevars.
The FIR has been registered under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 294(b) (obscene acts and songs), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 307 (attempt to murder), 302 (punishment for murder), 506(ii) (criminal intimidation) IPC r/w 109 (punishment of a abetment), 120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) IPC and sec 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(V) of The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Section 3 of the SC/ST Act deals with Punishments for offences and atrocities against a member belonging to SC/ST castes.
Evidence’s Executive Director A Kathir, who led a fact-finding team to probe the crime, said Mugesh had lodged a complaint against the boy accusing him of damaging the poster.
THOOTHUKUDI: Madurai-based rights group Evidence has urged the State government to consider the murder of the VCK man belonging to an SC community over damage to a banner of Muthuramalinga Thevar as a caste-based killing. A VCK member, S Marimuthu (38), was murdered on Sunday afternoon by an armed gang after his minor son allegedly damaged the digital poster put up across the Ambedkar Statue in 3 cent Anthoniarpuram. Marimuthu was trying to protect the boy from attack, the FIR said. The boy is being treated at Thoothukudi medical college hospital.
According to the FIR, the six accused — S Mugesh alias Panai, his brothers Meeran alias Moorthy, Murali and his father Shanmugavel, Pathirakalimuthu alias Muthupandi and Jeya Muthulingam — had attempted to hack the 14-year-old at his home for tearing the poster. Marimuthu tried to protect his son, but was hacked by Mugesh. As Marimuthu was lying in a pool of blood, Pathirakalimuthu stabbed him in his chest while Muthulingam injured his thigh, the FIR said.
Thoothukudi South Police booked the accused under Sections 147, 148, 294(b), 324, 307, 302, 506(2), 109, 120B of IPC, and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(v) of Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015. However, police have so far reportedly only arrested three of the accused — Mugesh, Pathirakalimuthu and Muthulingam. While Mugesh belongs to an SC community, the two others belong to intermediate castes. Marimuthu’s wife Radha, in her complaint, alleged that the six men had conspired to murder both her husband and son at Celseeni colony park.
Evidence’s Executive Director A Kathir, who led a fact-finding team to probe the crime, said Mugesh had lodged a complaint against the boy accusing him of damaging the poster. The issue was settled in the presence of Thoothukudi South police after Marimuthu paid Rs 1,500 although he denied the allegations. “The issue continued to boil due to the caste creed of Muthulingam and Pathirakalimuthu, who engineered the murder. Mugesh was incited to commit the crime,” he told TNIE.
The fact-finding team urged Thoothukudi police to arrest the other three accused, including the father and brothers of Mugesh. “The accused abused Marimuthu by his caste name during the murder. The state should not give bail for the accused until investigations are completed and a judgment is out. The State government should provide a government job for one member of Marimuthu’s family, and a monthly pension of Rs 15,000. Educational expenses of Marimuthu’s three children should also be taken care of by the government, the fact finding team recommended.
Meanwhile, the district administration has handed over a cheque of Rs 6 lakh to Radha and another Rs 6 lakh would be provided to them when the chargesheet is submitted.
MADURAI: Evidence, a dalit rights organization, has urged the government to treat the November 13 killing of a dalit man in Tuticorin as a caste-based murder and take stringent action against the criminals. Marimuthu of 3 Cent Anthoiyarpuram was hacked to death by a gang on that day.
He was trying to protect his son from the gang which attacked him alleging that he tore the poster of Muthuramalinga Thevar pasted in the locality.<br>Evidence undertook a fact-finding study on the murder and found that Marimuthu was working in a meat shop near Old Bus Stand. He is survived by his wife Radha, two daughters and a son. Evidence executive director A Kathir said posters were pasted for Muthuramalinga Thevar jayanthi on October 30 near an Ambedkar statue in Marimuthu’s locality.
It was found to be torn a few days before Marimuthu’s murder. The accused Mugesh, his father Shanmugavel and brothers Moorthy and Murali picked up a quarrel with Marimuthu’s family claiming that his 14-year-old son tore the poster. Marimuthu paid Rs 1,500 as damages though he denied the allegations.
However, Mugesh and his accomplices rounded up the minor boy and started attacking him on November 13. Hearing the commotion, Marimuthu and his wife rushed to the boy’s rescue. The gang tried to hack the boy and Marimuthu suffered severe injuries while attempting to save him. Both the father and son were rushed to Tuticorin medical college hospital with injuries but Marimuthu was declared dead.
Based on a complaint by Radha, police filed a case against six people including Mugesh. Though Mugesh hailed from dalit community, his accomplices Pathrakalimuthu and Jayamuthulingam were non-dalits. Kathir Mugesh’s father and brothers are remaining at large.