Hyderabad: The High Court expressed dissatisfaction at the Telangana police for not complying with the Supreme Court guidelines to stop honour killings. It took exception to the details submitted by the police on honour killings and reported assaults due to inter caste or inter-religion marriages.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy, raised doubts at the details submitted by Rajiv Ratan, Additional DG of Telangana Police, who said in his affidavit that only four honour killing cases and three assault cases were registered in the State from 2017 to 2021.
The court said that the figures were unbelievable, whereas the affidavit showed that the police had witnessed around 50 Khap panchayats. The court said that police were not taking the issue as seriously as it ought to have been. It sought to know about the implementation of the Supreme Court guidelines in Shakthi Vahini Vs Union of India to stop honour killing and any crime related to marriage solemened without the consent of parents. The apex court had instructed all the States and the police to constitute district-level special cells and provide protection to couples, whose marriage was not accepted by the parents and elders.
Rajiv Ratan submitted that a circular was issued where it asked for compliance with the court orders that whenever police learn about a proposed khap panchayat, a DSP-level officer or his higher up should interact with members of the khap panchayat and make it clear that such meetings were illegal.
The court was not satisfied with the affidavits submitted by the police and directed filing of an additional counter with all details and also issue a fresh circular to effectively implement the apex court guidelines on such critical social issues.
