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Still no justice for Seeta Kaur

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#Justice4Seeta, honour killing, SBS, vigil, 31 March 2017Seeta’s family are still waiting for justice to be done, two years on.

On 31 March 2015, Seeta (Saini) Kaur – a British national and mother of four young children – died in highly suspicious circumstances at the home of her husband and in-laws in India.

Seeta’s family believe that she was killed by her husband in a brutal honour killing.

In the UK, Seeta had endured years of domestic violence for not agreeing to the continuous demands made by her husband, Pawan Saini, and his family that she give up one of her sons to her husband’s brother and his wife in India; they were childless and wanted a male heir.

Seeta’s husband viewed the matter as a question of honour: to fulfil a promise he made to his brother and sister-in-law: that they could adopt one of his sons.

Seeta’s refusal led to violence and abuse being inflicted on her by her husband and his family and, ultimately, to her death.

And there is considerable evidence showing that Seeta was killed in India for disobeying her husband and in-laws.

He told her family that she had a ‘sudden heart attack’; but she was only 33 years old and had no heart condition or associated health problems – and there is no official medical confirmation as to the cause of her death.

When her family flew to India, they saw her body wrapped in thick blankets – an unusual practice in their culture and religion – lying in a coffin. When they insisted on uncovering her, they saw considerable bruising around her neck and upper chest: this fuelled their suspicion that she had been strangled to death.

Seeta’s family made clear to her husband and in-laws that they intended to take her body back to the UK, but someone took Seeta’s body out of the house during the night or early hours of the morning and she was cremated in their absence, depriving them of the opportunity to pay their last respects or arrange a post-mortem to establish her cause of death.

Two years later, there has been no investigation into her death either in India or in the UK.

Seeta’s family are still waiting for justice to be done.

Their appeals to the Metropolitan Police in London to carry out a thorough investigation have fallen on deaf ears.

The British authorities have remained indifferent to Seeta’s murder – a silence that seems to give lie to the government’s commitment to treat honour crimes as a ‘top priority.’

It is a hollow commitment that gives a licence to perpetrators to commit crimes of violence against women abroad to avoid justice.

Seeta’s family, Southall Black Sisters (SBS) and other supporters will be holding a vigil for Seeta outside the New Scotland Yard building – now on the Victoria Embankment SW1A 2JL at 4.30pm on 31 March 2017.

The family will also be asking the new Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, to meet with them to explain why the police have not responded to their requests for an investigation into her death.

Seeta’s death and the abject failure of the British authorities to support her family’s demand for justice will not be forgotten.

To find out more, and how you can help. click here.

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