Honor Related Violence (India)
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[edit] Zahida and Husna, strangled to death, May 2011
Newlyweds Zahida, 19, and Husna, 26, were strangled when they returned home after marrying men of their own choosing, police officer Anil Kumar Kusan said.
Marriages between Hindus and Muslims are rare in India and are frowned upon by both communities, although there are more instances of inter-religious marriages among the educated urban population. Across India, many marriages are still arranged by families.
But with the booming economy and more women entering the workforce, such traditions are slowly giving way to love matches.
Centuries-old caste and community barriers still come into play, however, and there has been a spurt in "honour killings" in recent years across northern India.
Zahida and Husna were neighbours in Baghpat, a town in Uttar Pradesh state, when they fell in love with two construction workers.
They eloped and got married last week before returning home to make peace with their families, Kusan said.
The girls belonged to Muslim families and their mothers, both widows, were furious, Kusan said.
Initial investigations showed the mothers helped each other to strangle the girls.
The mothers were unrepentant, saying the girls had brought shame and dishonour to their families, police said.
Earlier this week, India's Supreme Court recommended the death penalty for perpetrators of honour killings, calling the practice barbaric and feudal.Nirmala George, Associated Press, May 15, 2011
