📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Original: Sachinghai09
Derivative work: Radomian
Crime
Uttar Pradesh father declares daughter dead after she eloped for love, performs funeral rites
✍️ Bhaskar English
🗓 11 Oct 2026, 04:46 AM
👁 14
A father in Uttar Pradesh performed funeral rites for his daughter, stating she had disgraced the family by marrying for love and was therefore dead.
A resident of Uttar Pradesh publicly performed funeral rites for his daughter after she married a man of her own choice, an act the father described as a betrayal of family honour. The ceremony, conducted in the presence of relatives, was presented as a symbolic burial, with the father declaring his daughter socially dead.
He told onlookers that the marriage, which he termed a love alliance, had tarnished the family's reputation and left him no option but to treat her as deceased. The father emphasized that the act was meant to restore the family's dignity, a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from social activists.
Local police were informed of the incident and have opened an inquiry to determine whether any criminal provisions, including those related to honour-based violence, have been violated. The authorities have also warned that any threats or intimidation of the daughter or her husband will be investigated.
The episode adds to a growing pattern of honour-related disputes in the region, where families sometimes resort to extreme measures when members defy traditional marital expectations. Human rights groups have repeatedly called for stronger legal safeguards to protect individuals exercising their right to choose a partner.
As the investigation proceeds, community leaders are urging calm and emphasizing the need for dialogue rather than punitive symbolism that undermines the rule of law.
He told onlookers that the marriage, which he termed a love alliance, had tarnished the family's reputation and left him no option but to treat her as deceased. The father emphasized that the act was meant to restore the family's dignity, a stance that has drawn sharp criticism from social activists.
Local police were informed of the incident and have opened an inquiry to determine whether any criminal provisions, including those related to honour-based violence, have been violated. The authorities have also warned that any threats or intimidation of the daughter or her husband will be investigated.
The episode adds to a growing pattern of honour-related disputes in the region, where families sometimes resort to extreme measures when members defy traditional marital expectations. Human rights groups have repeatedly called for stronger legal safeguards to protect individuals exercising their right to choose a partner.
As the investigation proceeds, community leaders are urging calm and emphasizing the need for dialogue rather than punitive symbolism that undermines the rule of law.