A tragic case that captured international attention and condemnation has resurfaced in the headlines. Roop Kanwar, a young widow, was burned alive on her husband’s funeral pyre following the ritual of sati 37 years ago.
The recent acquittal of eight men accused of glorifying Kanwar’s death has reignited public outrage and concern in India. This ruling marks the conclusion of one of the last legal battles surrounding a case that profoundly shocked the nation.
Despite being officially banned in 1829 by British colonial authorities, the practice of sati persisted long after India’s independence in 1947. Kanwar is widely recognized as India’s last sati.
The public outcry stemming from her death prompted the introduction of the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act in 1987, which aimed to prohibit both the act of sati and its glorification, imposing severe penalties for offenders. However, over the years, all individuals charged in relation to Kanwar’s death have been acquitted.
- This report contains distressing details
The recent court decision has led to significant backlash from women’s organizations and activists, who are alarmed by the lack of accountability for Kanwar’s death.
Fourteen women’s groups in Rajasthan have urged the Chief Minister to appeal the ruling in higher courts and to take measures against the glorification of sati, warning that such acquittals could further entrench a culture that celebrates the practice.
A lawyer representing the accused stated the acquittal was based on the absence of evidence against them. When asked about the government’s plans to appeal, Rajasthan’s Justice Minister noted that they had not yet received the judgement and would assess its merits before deciding.
On September 4, 1987, Kanwar’s death in Deorala village was witnessed by hundreds and became a significant public spectacle, described as a stain on both Rajasthan and India as a whole.
Kawar’s husband’s family and members of their Rajput community claimed her act was a voluntary adherence to tradition. They asserted that she adorned bridal attire, led a village procession, and committed sati while reciting prayers alongside her husband’s remains.
These assertions were refuted by journalists, legal experts, and women’s rights activists, as well as initially by Kanwar’s parents, who learned of the events through the next day’s news rather than being informed beforehand. Eventually, they expressed that their daughter’s act was voluntary, a retraction many criticized as having been made under political pressure.
