Shivani, killed by her father at a police station for marrying a Dalit man
Controversy and outrage mount across the country over the latest femicide committed within the family. Fuelling the controversy is the fact that it occurred under the eyes of police officers who were supposed to protect the victim. Activists blame the killing on a mix of patriarchy, caste, and failure to enforce the law in Uttar Pradesh.
Delhi (AsiaNews) – Patriarchy, the (sick) logic of caste, and a systematic failure to enforce the law and human rights in the heart of India are the main ingredients in the tragic and brutal death of Shivani Chauhan, a 19-year-old woman, killed by her own father inside a police station (pictured, police source).
This is the latest episode of violence against a young woman in Uttar Pradesh, a state ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), where minority and marginalised communities remain vulnerable even when they are supposed to be under state protection.
The tragic murder of Shivani Chauhan – stabbed to death by her father, Satya Kumar Chauhan, while her mother held her down, at the Badausa police station in Banda District – highlights the persistent threat of honour killings.
Such a practice is still widespread in the country, but this time, what shocked public opinion is the location where it occurred: inside a government facility, where the victim should have been under government protection, not in danger and defenceless.
The young woman belonged to an Other Backward Class (OBC) community and had freely chosen to marry her neighbour, 20-year-old Lalit Verma, even without her parents' approval.
Since Verma was a Dalit, the marriage crossed rigid socio-religious caste boundaries, sparking strong opposition from the young woman’s family.
Following the couple's escape to Madhya Pradesh, Shivani's family filed a kidnapping complaint against Verma. Uttar Pradesh police then tracked down the couple and took them to the Badausa police station for legal statements and a mandatory medical examination.
During a formal counselling session at the police station, Shivani repeatedly maintained her initial position, declaring that she had married voluntarily and would remain with her husband.
As tensions reached a fever pitch, Shivani’s mother, Ranno, reportedly pinned her arms from behind while her father, Satya Kumar Chauhan, 55, stabbed her with a knife he had hidden under his clothes.
As a result of the attack, Shivani suffered multiple severe stab wounds to her abdomen and upper limbs and died hours later from her injuries as doctors at Banda Medical College desperately tried to save her life.
The incident highlights the limitations of the state’s “counselling” system for cross-caste couples. Instead of prioritising physical safety, police routinely engage families to mediate, exposing vulnerable people to hostile environments and family contexts.
The state's failure to ensure a safe environment on the premises of a police station triggered widespread condemnation from the Indian public.
Although her father has been arrested and faces charges of murder under Section 103 of the Indian Justice Code (BNS),[*] institutional responsibility remains unaddressed and a source of debate.
Shivani Chauhan's death, finally, highlights the reality that adult franchise and legal registration do not guarantee the safety of inter-caste couples.
When the state fails to ensure security even in its own police stations, activist groups argue, the promise of constitutional freedom remains out of reach for vulnerable citizens.
[*] Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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23/02/2018 11:17
