Indian court sentences 6 to death in "honor killing" case

A court in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has sentenced six people to death for killing a man from Dalit community in an incident of "honor killing", officials said on Wednesday.

"The Tiruppur district court has handed over death sentence to six people yesterday in connection with the honour killing of a 22-year old Dalit man last year," a court official said.

"The court sentenced another accused to double life term imprisonment and yet another to five years in prison."
Those sentenced to death include the father of the woman and five of his associates.

Officials said three people were set free, including mother of the woman, whose husband was murdered.
The woman had blamed her father for the brutal killing saying he was opposed to their marriage due to caste differences, reports Xinhua.

The slain Dalit youth Shankar, aged 22, was hacked to death on a busy road near Tiruppur in broad daylight last year. Shankar's wife Kausalya belonging to upper caste too was injured in the attack, however, she recovered later on.

The horrific incident was captured in a CCTV camera. The video shows three assailants attacking the couple as bystanders watch the hacking without raising alarm or trying to stop the attackers.

Inter-religious and inter-caste relationships are looked down upon in India and considered a taboo, especially in rural areas.

Dalits were previously known as untouchables in India and fall at the bottom of India's caste hierarchy.
Analysts say Indian society is deeply divided on caste lines.Every year, hundreds of young couples in India have to face brutal wrath (that often turns deadly) for marrying outside their caste.