MP honour killing: Dalit man killed after marrying upper-caste woman

New Delhi: A 25-year-old Dalit man, was beaten to death after he married a woman from an upper caste family in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior city. The incident took place on August 19, when the couple returned to their village and  the man was allegedly attacked by the wife's family.

The deceased, identified as Om Prakash Batham, married Shivani Jha in January against the will of the latter's family. The couple were charged with a hefty fine of 51,000 for marrying outside their caste. The Harshil Panchayat then directed the villagers to boycott the Dalit family.

However, it is still unknown  whether the fines were paid by Batham. But the inter-caste duo was forced to leave the village after witnessing such a disturbing situation around them.

Initiating the investigation, the police launched an FIR against 12 people, including members of Shivani's family. It is believed that Shivani's father, Dwarka Jha, orchestrated the entire killing and fled with the other suspects.

According to Ajay Sikarwar, police station in-charge, Belgada, Om Prakash was attacked by his wife’s family soon after the couple returned to the village on August 19.

In a similar incident, reported in January, a Dalit man from Telangana's Suryapet city was alleged killed after marrying an upper caste woman in his village. The deceased, Vadlakonda Krishna (30), was in a relationship with Bhargavi, his friend Kotla Naveen’s sister, for the last three years. In August 2024, he married Bhargavi, but her parents were against the decision, giving rise to a conflict between Naveen and Krishna, sources said.

In May, a 22-year-old Dalit woman from Itarsi died under suspicious circumstances just a year after marrying into an upper caste family. While police have termed it a suicide, her family alleges she was murdered. They claim she was harassed for dowry and caste.