Can parents murder their only daughter?

Originally posted by: Rishi_

This is my first post in this forum.
I was shocked after reading the entire story behind aarushi talwar murder case where her parents rajesh and nupur were sentenced to life imprisonment for killing their only daughter and domestic help hemaraj.

is it practically possible their those parents who gave birth to a kid took care of that kid and gave the kid all that she wanted would go ahead and muder their only child?

im totally shocked and speechless.

do share your views.

I don't think we will ever find out the "whole" truth about the Aarushi murder case.

The investigation and verdict points that the parents (mostly the dad) killed her either in a fit of rage or to preserve honor. As Angie mentioned, sad, tragic, but this isn't something new in India. However, the investigation did have plenty of flaws. The crime scene wasn't cordoned off. Too many people walked about and contaminated it. The body was cremated too soon. Autopsy reports were conflicted. There were many statements made and recanted. Over all it was an investigative and judicial blunder after blunder. Nothing was done by the book. So there is doubt and we probably will never know.

Most crimes and convictions do have a small element of doubt, but bad investigation practices make this case stand out.

Originally posted by: _Angie_

Which part of the story did you find most shocking? That parents killed their own child? If so then you probably haven't heard of the khaap induced killings or honour killings that is commonplace in northern India. Parents (under pressure by the villagers) cannot tolerate their daughter marrying a guy in the same village or same gotra guy, a guy of a different caste, religion, or any guy for that matter that they do not approve of and do not hesitate to entice their daughter and Son in law back home under some pretext or other ( eg. mother unwell, all forgiven etc ) only to be brutally hacked to death and that too openly. Moreover, they seem to take pride in that action!

Arushi's case was somewhat different. It took place in an urban setting by a dentist couple. The case was in the headlines for almost 5 and a half years. The investigation agencies made many blunders and failed to nail the case for so long presumably due to lack of any conclusive evidence. The current verdict is based on circumstantial evidence. The parents continue to deny the charge and will appeal to the higher courts for justice. For now they are lodged in the jail sentenced to life imprisonment for the double murder of their daughter and Hemraj, the household help, who was first suspected as the absconding murderer of their daughter.

Coming to the motive the findings so far seem to point to a case of an enraged father who lost his senses on seeing his 14 year old daughter in a compromising position with their adult (around 35 yrs) servant in her room. As per reports the father took his golf stick and aimed at Hemraj , missed him and the fatal strike hitting his daughter 's head instead. The enraged father hit out again and this time hit Hemraj, who also lost his consciousness. Both the bodies were also found with similar cut injuries across their throats with possibly a scalpel. While the first wound caused by a blunt object on the head could be the result of an impulsive rage the story and motive for the second wound gets a bit hazy at this point. If the story constructed by the investigating agencies is right so far, it points to a accidental death of the 14 year old daughter and murder of their adult household help who was technically raping her. Consent by a 14 year old does not have legal sanctity. The couple have also been accused of trying to tamper with evidence to hide the crime and also special efforts were made to prevent the daughter's name being sullied by the Investigators.

It could either be a case of deliberate honour killing or a failure at anger management by the father. So yes, sometimes even loving parents can murder their only daughter in a fit. It gets difficult to predict to what extent one could go when overpowered by strong surge of feelings of rage , shame, desperation, helplessness and failure (as a parent) . Tolerance level of people on the whole seems to be at an all time low, everywhere.