wl-4970-Honour Killings in Tamil Nadu: Intersectional Perspectives on Caste, Gender, and Justice

Marriage customs in India predominantly involve arrangements orchestrated by the parents, family, or elders of the social group the bride and groom belong to. The endogamous nature of the marriage helps to sustain caste identity and its hierarchical position within the graded system of caste . Among dominant castes, the perceived notions of honour of the caste are compromised if a woman from their social stratum violates caste norms by marrying a man from a different caste, more so in case if the man belongs to Dalit community Dalit community. While women are conferred with the higher ritual purity status and other material benefits when they uphold caste endogamy, often they are punished severely for the transgression of the same caste endogamy. The boundaries of caste groups are defined based on caste endogamy and the masculinties are constructed upon their ability to contain women within the caste group. Consequently, inter-caste couples often encounter severe brutal violence. However, the existing legal framework treats honor killings as akin to any other form of homicide which is inadequate in addressing the honour killing as a unique form of crime endemic to the Hindu social order. Moreover, the cultural and social barriers for Dalits, often also for the women victims of honour killings to attain legal justice, are unaddressed by the existing law. This article delves into the complex interplay of caste and gender dynamics within the judicial processes concerning the homicides of three young Dalit men from Tamil Nadu.