Outrage Erupts as Indian Court Acquits Man in Marital Rape Case

INIndia|

A recent ruling by a high court in Chhattisgarh, India, has ignited widespread anger as a 40-year-old man was acquitted of charges of raping his wife, who subsequently died. The High Court's Justice Narendra Kumar Vyas stated that marital rape is not recognized as a criminal offense in India, thus overturning a previous conviction that included "culpable homicide not amounting to murder" and a ten-year sentence.

The case dates back to December 2017 when the victim was allegedly sexually assaulted by her husband, leading to severe injuries that caused her death hours later. Activists and legal experts have condemned the judgment, with lawyer Sukriti Chauhan calling it "morally abhorrent" and indicative of systemic failures in the legal system regarding women's rights.

India remains one of over 30 countries that do not criminalize marital rape, despite a growing chorus of petitions urging changes to the longstanding laws. The Indian government has defended the legal framework, asserting that it adequately protects women. However, advocates argue for urgent reforms to safeguard against domestic violence and ensure women's autonomy.

Weekly Newsletter

Loading...

More from India

Pune Techie Confesses to Son's Murder Amid Marital Suspicions

In a tragic incident in Pune, a 38-year-old techie, Madhav Tiketi, allegedly murdered his three-and-a-half-year-old son, Himmat, over suspicions of infidelity regarding his wife, Swaroopa. The shocking event unfolded in the Chandan Nagar area, where Tiketi was later found intoxicated at a local lodge. According to police reports, a domestic dispute ensued Thursday afternoon, leading Tiketi to leave the house with his son. Surveillance footage tracked their movements, showing Tiketi purchasing clothes alone hours later. When Swaroopa reported her husband and son missing later that evening, police initiated a search, locating Tiketi through his mobile phone signals. After regaining consciousness, Tiketi confessed to killing Himmat, leading authorities to a nearby forest, where they discovered the child’s body with a fatal throat cut. A senior police official stated that Tiketi has been taken into custody, and a murder case has been registered. The child's remains have been sent for a post-mortem examination as investigations continue.
INIndia

Astronomers Discover Oxygen in Galaxy 13.4 Billion Light-Years Away

Scientists have detected signs of oxygen in the galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, located 13.4 billion light-years from Earth, during research using the ALMA radio telescope. This discovery, confirmed by astronomers from the Netherlands and Italy, challenges existing theories regarding the early universe's star formation, as reported by the European Southern Observatory. First identified by the James Webb Space Telescope in 2024, JADES-GS-z14-0 existed when the universe was merely 300 million years old. The presence of oxygen suggests the galaxy contains ten times more heavy elements than expected for galaxies from the “Cosmic Dawn” era, as detailed by astronomer Sander Schouws from Leiden Observatory. He likened the finding to discovering a teenager in a region thought to be populated only by newborns. These unexpected results indicate that galaxies formed and evolved much more quickly than previously theorized, prompting scientists to reevaluate their understanding of cosmic history, according to Italian astrophysicist Stefano Carniani.
INIndia

Record Ocean Heat Signals Urgent Climate Crisis, Say Researchers

A recent study has revealed that global sea surface temperatures soared to unprecedented levels between April 2023 and March 2024, exceeding previous records by approximately 0.25°C. According to researchers from the University of Bern, Switzerland, this event, classified as a one-in-512-year occurrence, has been attributed to ongoing global warming and human-induced climate change. The study highlights alarming consequences of prolonged ocean heat, which includes intensified marine heatwaves that can lead to mass die-offs of marine species and accelerated coral bleaching. Researchers caution that such changes also disrupt regional climate patterns, notably affecting monsoon conditions in India, which could threaten food and water security. Despite initial concerns that global warming may have accelerated, the study affirms that current climate models are capable of simulating these extreme temperature jumps. Projections indicate that temperatures are expected to return to the long-term warming trend by September 2025, although sea surface temperatures have remained above historical averages since mid-2024. The findings have sparked discussions among scientists, emphasizing the need to monitor ocean temperatures closely as they continue to influence global climate systems.
INIndia