Neenu Chacko breaking down on seeing the body of her husband Kevin P. Joseph at his house at Nattasserry in Kottayam on Tuesday. (From The Hindu)

By Theodore Shoebat

An Indian Christian man got murdered because he married a woman of a “higher caste”. In Hindu society, there are castes that are based on one’s karma. Intermarriage between castes is greatly looked down upon, and many times there is violence against ‘lower castes.’ As we read in a report from Christian Today:

An Indian Christian was beaten to death this week after marrying another Indian Christian of a higher caste.

Kevin Joseph, 26, a member of the socially poor Dalit caste, was murdered in a so-called ‘honour killing’ after he married Neenu Chacko, 20, who is an upper caste Syrian Christian.

Joseph was dragged from his house in the Kottayam district of India’s southern state of Kerala on Tuesday. His body was found two days later in a nearby ditch.

Several members of Neenu’s family have been arrested in connection with the attack, including her father and brother, Sanu Chacko, who left his job in Dubai on Saturday requesting emergency leave after his sister’s wedding, according to the Khaleej Times.

Others in custody include Ishan Ismail, Neenu’s cousin from her mother’s side, and Niyas, 23, of Idamon, Kollam district, and Riyas, 26, according to Gulf News.

Two police officers are also in custody and have been suspended from duty, the Times of India reported, after Neenu said she told police of the kidnapping but they refused to respond. Instead they told her they were too busy arranging security for a visit by Pinaryi Vijayan, chief minister of Kerala.

‘Had the police acted in time, a life could have been saved and criminals could have been arrested promptly,’ Lathika Subhash, leader of the women’s wing of the opposition Congress party, told a protest gathering, according to the National Catholic Reporter.