As the crime of “honour killings” are taking place with alarming regularity, a research paper to be presented at an international conference in London by Chandigarh-based senior lawyer Ranjit Malhotra suggest that the total number of such killings could well be over 1,000 every year in India.
The most disturbing aspect of the matter is that the incidents of “honour killings” are prevalent in all the communities — Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs — says the paper, which also suggest “possible solutions” to curb such crimes.
“Forced marriages and honour killings are often intertwined. Marriage can be forced to save the honour and a woman can be murdered for rejecting forced marriage. In fact, in traditional societies, honour killings are justified as a sanction against the dishonourable behaviour,” the paper says.
Besides, the forced marriage, asking for divorce in the event of atrocities by husband or his family members, desiring higher education, having independent ideas about marriage are the other major causes for killing women in the name of “social honour”.