Honour Killing in Maharashtra: Man Murders 16-Year-Old Daughter

Nameless girl
Age: 16
Stabbed to death: 2 August 2023
Place of residence: Krishna Vadi, Maharashtra
Origin: India
Children: None
Perpetrator: Father Shambhaka Rathod (48)

On 2 August, in the early morning hours, 48-year-old Shambhaka Rathod fatally stabbed his 16-year-old daughter with a knife in the backyard of their home in Krishna Vadi village, located in the Maharashtra region of India.

Fearing criminal charges, the mother attempted to destroy the evidence by burning the body. Shambhaka Rathod allegedly threatened his wife with death if she were to reveal the truth.

Villagers grew suspicious and reported the case to the police. Law enforcement discovered the body and recovered the murder weapon from the same field.

The police arrested Shambhaka Rathod along with his accomplices: Duraimurugan (19), Devika (20), Sathya (34), Kathirvel (45), Koolipatti Kireeshan (45), Sandoshkumar (44), and Karthi (35).

The investigation revealed that Shambhaka Rathod had killed his daughter due to suspicion. The mother has confessed to the murder and subsequent cover-up.

Experts on honour killings estimate that approximately 1,000 cases of honour killings occur annually in India.

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.