Japneet Singh, who is running for New York State Senate in District 15, led a protest in Queens
While incidents of domestic abuse are not something unheard of in South Asian communities, a recent video has left everyone shaken about the dangers of crime against women within families.
A video emerged Thursday of a Sikh woman from Richmond Hills in Queens neighborhood of New York who committed suicide due to domestic abuse.
Read: AAPI women’s panel hosts conference on domestic violence (October 19, 2021)
Just before taking her life, 30-year-old Mandeep Kaur made a video detailing the reasons for the extreme step. She said that for eight years she has been living a life of abuse, violence and has been cheated in marriage.
She detailed how her husband of eight years beats her up, and has been having several extra marital affairs. She also said that she has not been able to get any help from her in-laws and her husband and in-laws are responsible for the extreme step she was going to take. Then the mother of two killed herself.
After her suicide video, another video emerged on social media which shows the extent of torture she was going through. In the video it can be seen that her husband is constantly beating her up, while her two little children cry in the background.
Read: Holmes to accuse Indian American ex-boyfriend of abuse (August 31, 2021)
The video shows her husband Ranjodhbeer Singh Sandhu strangling and beating her for five minutes until she is forced to apologize. Sandhu currently has the custody of their two daughters aged four and six.
The case has created a huge outrage in the society and activists are calling out this dangerous trend of ignoring domestic abuse against women. New York police is now investigating Mandeep Kaur’s case as homicide rather than suicide.
Meanwhile, individuals, activists and civil organizations are coming forward to speak against the prevalence of domestic violence in Indian American households.
US based non-profit Sikh Family Center posted about a national helpline to reach out to women who may be caught in similar situations. New York based Civil Rights lawyer, Jo Kaur said, “I’m so angry I’m shaking. I can’t believe what Mandeep went through. I mean I can believe it.
Read: Justice For Mandeep: Sikh Woman’s Suicide Due To Domestic Abuse Sparks Outrage (August 6, 2022)
“We know it happens, we’ve all seen it. But to watch it on video, to hear her words, her pain, and then to know she is now gone and nobody helped her.â€
Ravinder Singh, CEO of Khalsa Aid, tweeted, “Domestic violence flourishes because we stay silent. Many keep silent because of family honor. There is no honor in watching another human being tormented, beaten, abused.â€