The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed authorities in Indore to ensure that no effigies of Sonam Raghuvanshi—accused of conspiring to kill her husband during their honeymoon—or any other individuals are burnt during the upcoming Dussehra festivities.
A single bench of Justice Pranay Verma passed the order on Saturday while hearing a petition filed by Sonam’s mother, Sangeeta Raghuvanshi, who challenged the plan of an Indore-based social organisation to publicly burn effigies of women accused of heinous crimes.
Sonam’s husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, went missing on May 23 during the couple’s honeymoon in Meghalaya. His mutilated body was recovered on June 2 from a ravine near a waterfall in the Sohra area (Cherrapunji) of East Khasi Hills. Sonam and several others, including her alleged boyfriend, were arrested in connection with the murder.
Earlier this week, the organisation ‘Paurush’ (People Against Unequal Rules Used to Shelter Harassment) announced plans to burn an 11-headed effigy symbolising “Surpanakha dahan,” featuring images of women accused of killing their husbands, children, or in-laws, including Sonam.
Justice Verma observed that such an act would be impermissible in a democratic society and would violate the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
“Even if the petitioner’s daughter is an accused in a criminal case… it cannot be permitted to resort to such effigy burning, which would certainly violate the fundamental rights of the petitioner, her daughter, as well as her entire family,” the order stated.
The court further noted that public humiliation of an accused before trial amounted to an unconstitutional act and directed the district collector, police commissioner, and the station house officer (SHO) to ensure compliance.
Sangeeta Raghuvanshi argued that the effigy burning would cause lasting damage to her family’s dignity and reputation. She submitted that the act would infringe upon their right to life, liberty, equality, and privacy.
“The court has directed authorities to prevent any such unconstitutional and unlawful act that could malign our family’s image,” she told PTI after the hearing.
Ashok Dashor, convener of Paurush, said the group had planned the effigy burning to symbolically destroy “negative qualities like adultery, immorality, lack of values, and indecency.” However, he added, “With the arrival of the court direction, we will abide by the order.”
The court has also barred the organisation from burning effigies of women accused in criminal cases from other states, stressing that such practices are unacceptable in a constitutional democracy.
