Parents save 'honor', murder schoolgirl for talking to a boy
In yet another horrific incident of 'honor killing', a couple in Telangana's Chintapalli village - about 130 km from Hyderabad - allegedly killed their 13-year-old daughter for talking to a boy. They strangulated her to death on September 15 and then burnt her body to pass it off as suicide. They then registered an FIR, saying their daughter had killed herself out of depression.
Palleti Radhika wanted to become a singer
One of the youngest victims of honor killing, Palleti Radhika was a student of Class 7. She aspired to become a singer. Her father Narsimha, an agricultural labourer, had often seen her talking to a local boy. On the fateful evening, he saw them talking again. When confronted, Radhika said it was just casual talk. Angry at her response, Narsimha allegedly killed her.
Girl's dead body gave the parents away
The post-mortem report raised suspicions. According to the police, the girl's tongue was sticking out, hinting at strangulation before she was burnt. Also, her body was composed, which never happens in cases of self-immolation. During investigation, the father reportedly confessed. Both parents have been arrested. They are in judicial custody.
Honor killings in India grew by over 796% in 2014-15
As per NCRB's report, honor killings in India grew by over 796% between 2014 and 2015. The maximum number of such killings were reported in Uttar Pradesh. Despite rampant violence, there's no separate law to punish those convicted of such murders.