No place for love 38 couples end life in 21 months in West UP

  • | Monday | 11th February, 2019

AGRA: Ahead of Valentine’s Day, high number of suicide cases among young couples has once again brought the spotlight back on difficulty by families and society in approving relationships of youngsters.At least 38 couples have committed suicide in West UP in the last 21 months. Miraculously, the couple survived, as the 60 wagons of trains passed over the duo leaving them without a scratch. Interestingly, in one such case, in Bijnor district in November 2017, a man committed suicide shortly after his daughter professed her love for a youth. Before killing himself, the victim accused her daughter of “dishonoring him”. In a traditional family, there is less communication between parents and children, where young generation respect their parents but clandestinely do what they want.”Sahu termed suicide “an emotional outburst as a young couple finds it difficult to deal with pressure from parents and community”.

AGRA: Ahead of Valentine’s Day, high number of suicide cases among young couples has once again brought the spotlight back on difficulty by families and society in approving relationships of youngsters.At least 38 couples have committed suicide in West UP in the last 21 months. Most of them killed themselves either by jumping in front of the train, consuming poison or hanging.In one such recent incident, on February 9, a couple attempted to commit suicide by jumping in front of a goods train at Aligarh junction after their parents rejected their relationship. Miraculously, the couple survived, as the 60 wagons of trains passed over the duo leaving them without a scratch. It was only after police intervention that the two families agreed to let them tie the knot.According to sociologists, most of the victims take the extreme step as they find it hard to persuade parents to accept their relationship.Speaking on the large number of suicides by young couples, D R Sahu, sociology head of department, University of Lucknow, said, “We are going through a phase of paradigm shift in thought process. Parents are still assuming that their children will follow the old tradition (which was repressive) even though they are the ones who in the first place are providing their children means to adopt the new culture and education system with broader perspective. In a traditional family, there is less communication between parents and children, where young generation respect their parents but clandestinely do what they want.”Sahu termed suicide “an emotional outburst as a young couple finds it difficult to deal with pressure from parents and community”. “As a social scientist we believe that institutions like family, marriage and culture whose context have become old need to be redefine on the basis of social cultural context, where individualisms, identity and autonomy is more important. Families need to be counseled as the peer groups and friends of victims cannot replace the family status,” he added.The sociologist said, “Due to repressive traditions of family, there have also been cases where parents kill children for honour.”Data available with TOI has revealed that west UP reported at least seven honour killing cases over the past nine months. Interestingly, in one such case, in Bijnor district in November 2017, a man committed suicide shortly after his daughter professed her love for a youth. Before killing himself, the victim accused her daughter of “dishonoring him”.

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