Honour killings: AIGP told to appear today

A division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad on perusing the report filed by Assistant Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) ET Samson in this regard on Monday, observed that while the report projects a picture that all is well till date not a single bit notice has been circulated by the government against such caste-related killing.

Also, skeptical about the preventive, remedial and punitive actions that figures in the report, the bench noted, “It is hard to believe about some of the submissions made.” Based on this, the bench directed the AIGP who filed the report to be present on Tuesday to offer explanations on the measures taken.

The report, while citing booking of 34 such honour killing cases and action taken against four police officials for dereliction of duty, said as part of the preventive measures, cities/towns/villages, where instances of either honour killing or assembly of Khap Panchayats have been reported in the past has been identified. Based on this, a special branch in all identified police stations has been created to look after these incidents in their limits.

While narrating the instructions given to DSPs on the action that needs to be followed on information about Khap Panchayats, the report also noted that along with sensitising the officers to be vigilant about instances of inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, the Social Justice and Human Rights Wing are conducting awareness campaign in cities and districts by distribution of pamphlets and erection of flex boards on the evils of honour killing.

The report also highlighted the special cells created in every district comprising Superintendent of Police, district social welfare officer and district adi-dravidar welfare officers to receive petitions/complaints of harassment and threat to couples of inter-caste marriages and inter-religious marriages.

The CCTNS (Crime and criminal Tracking Network System for on-line complaints), one stop centre for women and emergency Nos 100, 1091 are functioning 24x7 at Chennai to give proper care and protection to the brides and grooms of the inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, the report added.