Honour Killing in Bhanpura, India: Father Arrested for Murdering His Daughter

Unnamed Girl
Age: 16
Murdered: July 25, 2024
Residence: Bhanpura, Madhya Pradesh
Origin: India
Perpetrator: Father

On July 25, a 16-year-old girl died under mysterious circumstances in Bhanpura, a small village in central India's Madhya Pradesh state. The police have registered a case against her father and two others. Based on a complaint by Rekha, the girl's mother, the police have launched an investigation.

Rekha claimed that her daughter was killed by her husband, Kirpal Singh, and two accomplices, who cremated the body immediately to cover up the crime. The police suspect it to be a case of honour killing.

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.