India Honour Killings Expose Gaps in Law

Human Rights Research Center
23 hours ago
4 min read

August 21, 2026

HRRC condemns honour killings and emphasizes that young women should never have to fear making their own life choices, exercising bodily autonomy, or choosing their own partners. The murder of these women highlights the dangers women face when patriarchal family structures act under the guise of preserving social reputation. We encourage the Parliament of India to take national steps similar to Karnataka's recent legislation that criminalizes honour killings, establishes protective systems, and guarantees that no person should face violence or coercion for asserting their rights to make independent choices.

In the city of Agra, India, an 18-year-old pregnant woman died by drowning in the Chambal River from an alleged honour-based killing involving her father and brother-in-law. Police reports indicated that the accused attempted to coerce the young woman to enter the river voluntarily, and when she declined, they allegedly drowned her. Statements from the father reveal that the murder was motivated by social stigma surrounding pregnancy outside of marriage. To conceal the crime, the father created a suicide story and showcased photographs depicting a mock cremation to mislead investigators.

The victim's name is Khushi and she was four months pregnant and lived with her family in Delhi’s Tigri area. She was in a relationship with a local minor. Her father, Lakhpat Singh Baghel, admitted he acted out of a fear of social disgrace within his community.

On 28 July, the accused took Khushi from Delhi to the riverside in their hometown under false pretences, claiming they were organising a medical procedure before forcing her into the water. On 31 July, the Tigri police station received a PCR or emergency call, which initiated the investigation.

Baghel first filed a missing person complaint at the Tigri police station. Investigators noted inconsistencies in the family’s account, leading to Baghel’s confession of killing his daughter. Search operations were unable to recover the victim's body due to continuous heavy rainfall. Other sources further claimed that the accused “also took photos and recorded videos during the incident.” Delhi Police registered the case under BNS (The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) Sections 103 (1) (murder) and 238 (destroying evidence).

In a separate incident in Agra, a young woman named Ankita was strangled to death by her father after entering into a court marriage against her family's wishes. Police interrogations revealed that Ankita had married a resident from her village four months prior, keeping the relationship hidden due to family conflict. After the court marriage, ongoing family disputes regarding the marriage escalated, resulting in her murder.

Data collection on honour crimes in India remains inconsistent, according to the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. Official national tracking recorded 18 cases in 2014, 25 cases in 2020, and 33 cases in 2021. Sources note that official statistics likely underestimate the true scale due to underreporting. Legal responses to emerging cases in states like Uttar Pradesh and Punjab are frequently criticized for being unhurried. In 2025, the Supreme Court of India explicitly linked honour killings to caste hierarchy, calling for stricter legal change.

Civil society and right-based organisations highlighted a draft bill for enactment titled “The Freedom Of Marriage And Association And Prohibition Of Crimes In The Name Of Honour Bill,” which was introduced in the Parliament in 2023. However, there has been no progress towards this enactment, and therefore, honour killings with lack of punishments continue to persist.

The only state in India that has made a significant step towards addressing the continuing honour crimes was Karnataka who recently passed the “the Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition (Eva Nammava, Eva Nammava[1] ) Act” in March 2026. Legal experts noted that this legislation addresses how caste systems and social hierarchies are preserved through endogamy which controls marriage choices to maintain caste identities across generations. Karnataka aimed to counteract honour killings that were framed as a protection of family reputation.

Glossary

Allegedly: used when something illegal or wrong is said to have been done, but has not been proved.
Caste: one of the hereditary social classes in Hinduism that restrict the occupation of their members and their association with the members of other castes.
Conceal: to prevent disclosure or recognition of.
Depict: to represent by or as if by a picture.
Disgrace: to be a source of shame to.
Endogamy: marriage within a specific group as required by custom or law.
Escalate: to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope.
Hierarchy: the classification of a group of people according to ability or to economic, social, or professional standing.
Honor Killing: the traditional practice in some countries of killing a family member who is believed to have brought shame on the family.
Inconsistency: an instance of being inconsistent.
Interrogation: a formal and systematic questioning.
Patriarchal: of, relating to, or being a patriarch or patriarchy
PCR Call: A PCR Call refers to a call made to the Police Control Room, typically through emergency numbers such as 112 (the unified emergency helpline in India).
Stigma: a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about something.
Underreporting: to report to be less than is actually the case.

References

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India Honour Killings Expose Gaps in Law

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