Not a movie scene, but real life, a family in West Bengal’s Nadia district performed the last rites of their own daughter, even though she’s alive. In a shocking twist straight out of a Sanam Teri Kasam-style plot, the young woman’s only fault was falling in love. She eloped and married a man from a different religion and in response, her family declared her ‘dead’ and conducted her shradh, the ritual meant for the deceased.
As per media report, the family said the young college student had brought shame upon them by marrying outside their religion. Exactly 12 days after she left home, they declared her “dead” and performed her shradh, cutting her off completely from the family.
“She is as good as dead to us. We had arranged her marriage but she did not even want to listen to us. She brought disrepute by leaving us in this way. Enough is enough,” her uncle Somnath Biswas told the media.
During the ritual, all customary practices were observed, including the shaving of heads. A garlanded photograph of the young woman was placed before the priest as he performed the rites.
“We have also burnt all her personal belongings,” her mother said.
The young woman, a second-year student at a local college, had been chosen by her family for an arranged marriage. However, she defied their decision and eventually left home with a man from another religion after repeated arguments at home. Her uncle, Somnath Biswas, did not confirm whether the man’s religious background played a role in the family’s reaction.
Though the girl’s father is currently working abroad, Biswas said he fully supported the family’s actions.
Sources close to the couple revealed that the woman is currently staying with her in-laws in another part of the district and is undergoing counselling sessions with psychologists.
Commenting on the matter, a senior police officer said, “We came to know about the incident but can’t take any action on our own as she is an adult. No complaint was filed by anyone in this regard.”