Relatives mercilessly killed a 17-year old Indian girl, and her body was thrown over a bridge. Authorities point out that the event leading to her death stemmed from the girl not conforming to religious customs that her kin took as an insult. Violence such as these usually happens in an Indian society that treats women as second citizens.
Authorities reports that she was physically beaten with sticks and rods by her extended family. Her parents were shocked at how their daughter was murdered by such horrendous kin.
Compared to other countries, Indian society has strict religious customs and is not tolerant of more modern norms involving women.
Girl's answer to grandparents leads to argument and violence
The Sun UK reports that Neha Paswan, 17, got brutally battered with sticks and rods inside their home in the poor village of Savreji Kharg in Deoria district.
Her mother, Shakuntala Devi Paswan, told the media that her daughter was killed by the violent thrashing of her grandfather and uncles. They were displeased because of the outfit she was wearing during a ritual in their residence.
The girl had followed a religious fast for a whole day. The mother further added, cited BBC, that she wore trousers and a top and proceeded about her evening rituals. When her grandparents commented on her attire, Neha remarked that jeans are supposed to be worn and that there is nothing wrong if she should wear them.
Sources say the older relatives had disapproved of her wearing pants and "western-style clothing." They deemed this as very "inappropriate," and had demanded that she dress more conservatively in their traditional clothing.
Her mother recalls a heated argument that leads the relatives to take drastic measures that ended in violence. The beating rendered the girl unconscious on the floor, and the relatives then called for a lift, saying they will bring her to the hospital.
Despite her pleas, Neha's mother says, they would not allow her to come with them to accompany her daughter to the hospital. She then decided to ask help from her relatives to check on the hospital and Neha's condition. They reported that the girl was not there, noted 9 News.
The following day Shakuntala heard that a girl was found hanging over the river Gadak found by locals. The family rushed to the bridge where the body was found and confirmed that it was the badly beaten Neha.
Relatives arrested and questioned over murder charges
Police were fast in bringing the ones responsible to court. An alleged ten individuals were charged with murder and destruction of primary evidence.
The suspects, including the grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, were reported by the mother to be involved in the case. The rickshaw driver who tried to get rid of the girl's body was also considered as one of the suspects in the case. So far, the accused have made no statements to the public yet.
According to Shriyash Tripathi, a senior police official, four people have been implicated as main culprits, including grandparents, an uncle, and the driver. They had been apprehended and were being probed. A few more people are still hunted as they are accused as part of Neha's murder.
Amarnath Paswan returned home from a construction job in Ludhiana, learning of his daughter's death. He said that he works hard to pay for the education of his kids. His wife said that her daughter dreamed of joining the police force, but that will never happen now that she is gone.
Shakuntala said the paternal in-laws did not want Neha to become a professional and discouraged her from pursuing her studies. They often reprimanded the 17-year-old girl for wearing western-style clothing. Even before the murder, it was evident that the victim did not want to be suppressed.
The death of the 17-year-old Indian girl is just one of the many domestic violence that happens daily in India. The only foreseen solution to this problem is to create awareness that women have rights despite cultural norms. This way, we can avoid another Indian girl from suffering the same fate.
