Madras HC orders special police cells to prevent honour killings [Read Judgment]

In a bid to hold the police more accountable for their role in handling cases of honour killings, the Madras High Court yesterday directed the creation of special police cells to deal with complaints of harassment and threats to couples of inter-caste marriages..The matter stems from a case of alleged honour killing in Usilampatti, a town in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district. The factual matrix of the case weaves a horrific tale of the police’s complicity in the maligned practice. The petitioner, who belonged to a Scheduled Caste decided to marry one Vimaladevi, who was from a Most Backward Caste..Fearing opposition from the woman’s family, the couple fled to neighbouring Kerala after getting married at a temple. The couple then appeared at a police station in Palakkad district, informing the cops of their marriage..Meanwhile, the woman’s father had lodged a complaint in Usilampatti police station. The police officers of that station then managed to bring the couple back home. Vimaladevi was kept in the police station for the whole night where she was abused, assaulted and threatened by her parents and other. The events culminated in Vimaladevi getting married off to another person, while the petitioner hatched a plan to elope with her again..However, this plan failed, and the couple was waylaid by Vimaladevi’s new husband and his goons, while the Sub-Inspector allegedly stood and watched, as opposed to protecting the couple. After that, Vimaladevi was sent to a government home by the police. The petitioner, helped by the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) and the All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) was denied permission to meet her. A complaint submitted by the petitioner to the Superintendent of Police merited no response..Seeing as how he received precious little help from the police, the petitioner then prepared to file a writ at the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court. During this time, it had come to the notice of the petitioner that Vimaladevi was taken to her parents’ home by the Sub Inspector, That very night, she died under mysterious circumstances, and her body was set aflame..The petitioner then approached the High Court, asking for police protection, criminal proceedings against the errant police officers, and the transfer of the investigation into his wife’s death to the CBI..In an order dated November 11, 2014, Justice V Ramasubramanian directed the Inspector General of Police to conduct an inquisition into the alleged wrongdoings of the police officers..When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, the IG submitted his report, along with details of the officers and their lapses. U Nirmalarani, appearing for the petitioner, brought to the court’s notice that as many as 47 honour killings had taken place in the state in the last five years. The advocated also turned the court’s attention to a 2014 judgment of the Punjab & Haryana High Court which called for the establishment of special police cells to deal with inter-caste marriages..Taking a leaf out of the P&H High Court’s rulings, Justice Ramasubramanian directed the state government to set up similar cells in all districts of Tamil Nadu, within a period of 3 months. The other directions include a 24 hour helpline for receiving complaints regarding harassment of inter-caste married couples, automatic recording of FIRs in these cases, special funds to be set aside for shelters for these couples, protection for the couples, and counselling for their parents..Read the order: