The State Home Department has issued guidelines/Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to top-level police officers and administrators for prevention of honour killing.
The department has asked the Superintendents of Police of all districts to identify the sub-divisions and villages where honour killings take place and ensure that the officers in charge of the concerned police stations are extra cautious regarding any incidents of inter-caste and inter-religion marriage.
The set of guidelines said that information about any proposed gathering of Khap Panchayats received by any police officer shall immediately be shared with senior officers and SPs who shall take steps to prevent such gatherings/meetings by interacting with the members concerned. Measures should be taken to deploy adequate police force in the area and the police officer in charge of the area concerned should remain vigilant.
If such meetings take place despite the measures, the SPs/DSPs would remain present at the spots and see that no such decision is taken which may cause any harm to the couples or their family members, the guidelines said.
Departmental action shall be taken against the concerned officers for deliberate negligence, misconduct and failure to observe the directions.
Trail of honour killing cases shall be undertaken by designated courts on a day-to-day basis and to be concluded preferably within six months from the date of taking cognisance of the offence, the guidelines said.
