A premature baby in India was murdered, allegedly because the parents were in an inter-caste marriage.
The Times of India reported that the baby girl had been born to Manu, a cab driver and member of the Dalit caste, and Archita, a member of a higher caste. Dalits, also known as “untouchables,” are considered the lowest of the low in Indian society; they are categorized outside of the four main castes: Brahmins (priests and teachers), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers), Vaishyas (traders and merchants) and the Shudras (laborers). Though the caste system was officially abolished in 1950, the social hierarchy is still practiced. People are categorized at birth, and their caste defines what part of society they fit into, what jobs they can do, and who they can marry.
Despite belonging to different castes, Manu and Archita fell in love. Their familial homes stood just 100 feet apart — an important detail in the police investigation.
After getting married, the couple found out they were expecting a baby. Unfortunately, the baby was born prematurely and Archita required a c-section. The baby girl had to remain in the NICU for respiratory issues for a time. Eventually, she recovered and was released to go home. Then tragedy struck.
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After going to the bathroom, Archita saw that her daughter was missing from her cradle, and immediately raised an alarm. Her grandmother, Rukminiyamma, called her father, Murali, and a complaint was filed with Suryanagar police. As police searched, Manu went to the terrace, and found his daughter floating in the water tank.
“We heard Manu scream and rushed to the terrace to find him lying on the floor with the baby in his arms. When we checked, we found she was dead,” Murali told the Times of India. “How could someone be so cruel as to kill a newborn?”
During the investigation, police checked CCTV footage, and saw no signs of an intruder.
It is not uncommon for family members to conduct so-called “honor killings” for inter-caste marriages and births, and a police officer told the Times of India they suspect that was the case here.
“We suspect someone from within the family is behind the crime,” the officer said. “The killer could have entered Murali’s house through one of the adjacent buildings. The couple had an inter-caste love marriage, so the investigation is looking at all possible angles.”
