By Karen Diep
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
NEW DELHI, India – Yesterday, five family members were sentenced to death for the murder of a young couple in 2010.
Members of the young girl’s family tortured the couple in an alleged honor killing. Authorities arrested the girl’s parents, cousin, uncle, and aunt the day after the couple’s murder.
“It can be safely concluded that the prosecution has been able to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused persons had caused the death of the victims with the common intention after giving them merciless beatings by tying them with rope and thereafter electrocuting them on various parts of their body,” said Judge Ramesh Kumar on Monday.
However, the convicted family could appeal against the decision in a higher court.
Last year India’s Supreme Court ruled that honor killings would receive the death penalty and deemed the crime a “barbaric slur” on the nation.
According to Telegraph, Yogesh, a taxi driver, wanted to marry nineteen-year-old Asha, the daughter of a vegetable seller, but Asha’s family objected because Yogesh belonged to a lower caste.
Local media reports revealed that the Autopsy reports showed that the couple had been tied up, beaten with metal pipes, and electrocuted.
“Medical examination had revealed that the two had died due to the thermoelectric shock from repeated electrocution,” read the Indian Express newspaper.
There are no statistics regarding the number of honor killings in India, but one 2010 study states that as many as 900 people are killed each year for falling in love or marrying despite their families’ objections in the northern states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Most parents in India still prefer arranged marriages within their own caste and relationships outside of caste are frowned upon.
According to Telegraph, New Delhi lawyer, Ravi Kant, has been fighting to pass a law that will provide detailed and harsh penalties to reduce honor killings
“Such a punishment will certainly have a huge impact on the society. It will serve as a strong deterrent to one and all. The sentencing is also in line with the Supreme Court directive and it must be lauded,” shared Mr. Kant.
For further information, please see:
BBC – Death penalty for family members in India ‘honour killing’ – 05 October 2012
Telegraph – Death penalty for family members over India ‘honour killing – 05 October 2012
Washington Post – Indian honor killing family get the death penalty – 05 October 2012
