Live-in relationships lack dignity, respect, says psychologist as another Shraddha Walker-type killing is reported in Delhi

Expert Harshit Katoch says there is no social claim or position attached with a live-in relationship unlike a marriage where families are involved and individuals are bound with social responsibilities

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Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, February 15

Two heinous crimes by live-in partners with eerie similarities to the heinous Shraddha Walker case were reported on Tuesday.

In Delhi, a man allegedly killed his live-in partner, Nikki Yadav, stored her body in a freezer at a dhaba in Baba Haridas Nagar and married another girl on the same day.

Also read: Crimes of passion

Identified as Sahil Gehlot, the 24-year-old has been arrested.

The incident took place on the intervening night of February 9 and 10.

According to the police, the accused did not inform Nikki about his engagement or marriage plans. Apparently, she came to know, leading to arguments and eventually the murder.

Meanwhile, in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, a man allegedly killed his live-in partner and stuffed her body in a mattress.

The police arrested the man while trying to escape.

According to reports, the accused was jobless and the couple would quarrel often. It was during one such quarrel he allegedly killed 37-year-old Megha, a nurse by profession.

Crimes of passion have taken place since time immemorial. Emotions are a part of human behaviour and jealousy.

However, what is happening these days seem to have added another dimension to crimes of passion, especially the way Shraddha, Nikki and Megha were eliminated by their respective partners.

What youngsters say

The Tribune tried to explore the minds of these alleged criminals with the help of a young psychologist Harshit Katoch.

This is what Harshit, who is pursuing a career in psychology at Punjabi University, had to say about the prevailing mindset.

“There is no social claim or position attached with a live-in relationship unlike a marriage where families are involved and individuals are bound with social responsibilities. In a live-in relationship, there is no commitment, giving the partners absolute freedom to move on in case things don’t work.”

“Plus, these days there is an abundance of opportunities available before the live-in partners. You can be with one person today and another tomorrow. So while a classical relationship is about three stages—affection, intimacy and love—the live-in relationship is mostly about passionate intimacy and there is no commitment or responsibility.”

“In such cases, when anger arises from frustration because the other person is not listening, it is easy to give in. In a marriage, you can blame your parents, others, in live-in you can only blame each-other and take out your anger against the partner.”

“It is not as if such cases do not happen in a marriage. Anger can make a person react in strange ways. Crimes of passion take place under extreme circumstances, when emotions take over, forcing people with no history of violence to commit heinous crimes”.

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