Honor killing

Relevant News Article: Nirupama Pathak

The recent increase in news articles about honor murders is indeed shocking. Youngsters are killed by their own parents or relatives over trivial things. Generally the issue is regarding marriage to a spouse of a different caste, but in some cases it may just involve friendship with the opposite sex, or just talking with the opposite sex even.

Surprisingly, it is not just the illiterate and rurally backward people who are involved in these murders, as evident in the most recent victim. Nirupama Pathak, a journalist in a leading India daily, was murdered (allegedly (innocent till proven guilty)) by her parents.

I wonder what goes through the minds of these people before, and during the murder.

Maybe it goes something like this:

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Mother: "Oh noes, the neighbors will LOL at us if she marries that guy"
Father: "You are right. Lets kill our daughter and save our honor"
Mother: "Ahan. I'm with you on that plan. It doesn't matter that we spent 22 years caring and nurturing her, so she can follow her dreams and have a future she desires. We don't want our neighbors to LOL at us."

*MURDER*

Father: "Well, she wont be marrying that guy now. No LOLing by the neighbours."
Mother: "Yeah. Well done."

*POLICE SIRENS*

M + F: "Oh noes. How did they know."
Police: "You are under arrest for killing your daughter. Why did you do it??"
M + F: "We did not want our neighbors to LOL at us."
Neighbours: "LOL, you thought we cared?? FTW!!"

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Anyways, back to seriousness, it is appalling that parents of a well educated girl actually murdered her (and their to be born grandchild). If such things occur in a well educated society, then I shudder to think about the condition in rural India.

Remember people, Caste, Creed and Religion is created by us humans, and it is we ourselves who need to break these bounds. May Nirupama's soul rest in peace, and may her murderers see the error in their ways and be punished for their wrongs.