Mothers accused of strangling daughters
Source: Agencies |
May 16, 2011, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TWO Muslim mothers in a northern Indian town have been arrested on accusations they killed their daughters for dishonoring the family by eloping with Hindu men, police said yesterday.
Newlyweds Zahida, 19, and Husna, 26, were strangled when they returned home after getting married to men of their choice, said Anil Kumar Kusan, a police officer.
Marriages between Hindus and Muslims are not common in India and are frowned upon by both communities, although there are more instances of inter-religious marriages among the educated urban population.
Across India, many marriages are still arranged by families. But with the booming economy and more women entering the work force, love marriages have increased. However, centuries-old caste and community barriers still come into play, and there has been a spurt in "honor killings" in recent years across northern India.
Zahida and Husna were neighbors in Baghpat, a town in India's Uttar Pradesh state, when they fell in love with two construction workers. They eloped and got married last week before returning home to make peace with their families, Kusan said.
Initial investigations showed that the mothers helped each other to strangle their daughters.
"We killed them because they brought shame to our community. How could they elope with Hindus? They deserved to die. We have no remorse," Khatun, one of the mothers, was quoted as saying after her arrest on Friday. Khatun uses only one name.
Last week, India's Supreme Court recommended the death penalty for honor killings, calling the practice "barbaric and feudal."
(AP)
Newlyweds Zahida, 19, and Husna, 26, were strangled when they returned home after getting married to men of their choice, said Anil Kumar Kusan, a police officer.
Marriages between Hindus and Muslims are not common in India and are frowned upon by both communities, although there are more instances of inter-religious marriages among the educated urban population.
Across India, many marriages are still arranged by families. But with the booming economy and more women entering the work force, love marriages have increased. However, centuries-old caste and community barriers still come into play, and there has been a spurt in "honor killings" in recent years across northern India.
Zahida and Husna were neighbors in Baghpat, a town in India's Uttar Pradesh state, when they fell in love with two construction workers. They eloped and got married last week before returning home to make peace with their families, Kusan said.
Initial investigations showed that the mothers helped each other to strangle their daughters.
"We killed them because they brought shame to our community. How could they elope with Hindus? They deserved to die. We have no remorse," Khatun, one of the mothers, was quoted as saying after her arrest on Friday. Khatun uses only one name.
Last week, India's Supreme Court recommended the death penalty for honor killings, calling the practice "barbaric and feudal."
(AP)
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
