Source: Times of India
CHENNAI, India -- Two women, who allegedly shared a lesbian relationship, committed suicide by setting themselves ablaze after their families abused and tried for over a decade to separate them. The police recovered the charred bodies of the women, who died hugging each other, from the residence of one of the women at Sathangadu, near Thiruvotriyur, on Saturday, Times of India reports.
Family members noticed thick smoke emanating from the house where the women stayed the previous night. They peeped through the window and saw the bodies lying as if they had died hugging each other.
Police identified the women as Christy Jayanthi Malar (38) and Rukmani (40).
Vasanthi Devi, former Chairperson, State Women's Commission, said, "In India, same sex relationships are not in any way accepted, and even talking about it is considered taboo. Since it is perceived to be unnatural and unacceptable, a lot of sensitivity is required in handling the issue. Sadly, counseling is virtually unknown in our society, be it for students or adults. If we had counselors to guide, any number of tragedies can be avoided."
Reacting to the incident, lawyer and activist Sudha Ramalingam said it was time a colonial law making same-sex relationship illegal was scrapped. "We have reached a stage where one has to accept relationships which are not termed normal. Everyone has the right, especially two consenting adults, to choose their way of life," she said.
[Ed note: She apparently did not point out that, in this case, it's the families of the two women who were in desperate need of "counseling".]
All India Democratic Women's Association leader Vasuki said suicides are not a solution to any problem. "Same sex relationships are coming to the fore these days, and we do not have a coping mechanism in place," she told Times of India.
The two women were classmates and remained close in the decades since, despite marriages that their families arranged for each of them. Their relationship caused what Times of India calls "consternation in both families," including abuse by family members.
At one point, family members hoping to split up the two women forced Rukmani to move to a more distant area.
Despite the opposition from the relatives, the two women continued to meet when their husbands were out on work, Times of India reports.
On Friday morning, Rukmani went to Malar's house after their husbands had left for work. Not finding Rukmani for a long time, her relatives started searching for her and finally found her in Malar's house. In front of several people, the family members abused her for having a "physical relationship" with Malar, whose family members also started shouting at the two friends.
"Around midnight, they poured kerosene on their bodies and set themselves on fire. They appear to have hugged each other during the final moments of their life," an investigation officer who inspected the scene said.
Full article: Harassed lesbian couple ends life-Chennai-Cities | Times of India