Family kills teen couple and hangs bodies from mango tree in Uttar Pradesh

Teen couple
ages: 17, 19
killed: May 2023
Residence: Kayampur Nivarwara, Uttar Pradesh, India
Caste: Thakur, Dalit
Children: -
Perpetrators: her family

A tragic event occurred in a village in Uttar Pradesh, where a young teenage couple was brutally murdered by relatives of the girl. Their bodies were hung from a mango tree. A report by the young man's father initiated the police investigation, in which seven people, including the girl's father, were charged with kidnapping, murder and violation of the law to prevent atrocities against Dalit.

The investigation revealed that the boy planned to marry the girl as soon as she reached adulthood. The girl's family members opposed this relationship because of the caste difference. They took matters into their own hands and first killed the boy, then kidnapped the girl and hung both of them from the tree to give the impression that it was a case of suicide.

The teenage couple had previously tried to flee from those who opposed their relationship, but failed and they were found within a week. The boy was arrested and sent to jail, while the girl was returned to her family.

The case is currently still under investigation and police are in the process of arresting all suspects. Although some local witnesses claim that the murder is related to caste differences, there is no mention of this in the police report provided by the family of the deceased boy.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.