In India, you see, there is not a specific law that directly mentions cannibalism as unlawful. But that doesn’t actually imply that it is alright to do so. Like, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provides several clauses for violent acts including those connected to cannibalism such as murder, corpse mutilation, or inflicting serious injuries.
Just so you know, one can be charged with murder, which is a very serious offense, if he/she kills another human to eat his/her flesh. All in all, the IPC does not expressly name cannibalism but the laws already there are firm enough to dissuade people from such acts, you know? Let’s understand where and how cannibalism is indirectly a severe crime as per Indian law.
Famous Cases of Cannibalism in India
Over the years, yes, India has had a few shocking cases of cannibalism, and those are quite terrifying actually. But, for the sake of letting you know about it all, let’s just briefly go over a few cases. Well, the most notorious among these was the Nithari case, which included abductions, rapes, and murders of several women and children in Noida. Just so you know though, Surinder Koli, who is the main suspect in this case, was said to be involved in cannibalism, but there was no exact law against it, so he was charged with murder under Section 302 of IPC. It was back then, this case was a big eye-opener with regard to how difficult it could be to convict people for acts that are related in any way to cannibalism under the current laws.
Another group that is typically linked with cannibalism is the Aghori sect. The Aghoris, a group of Shaiva ascetics, carry out rituals with human remains. In some of these rites, the flesh of humans is consumed, but they never go out and kill people for this purpose, that’s the key thing to keep in mind. As they acquire the corpses from cremation grounds, their work is always associated with killing, which is why these acts are never treated the same as murder cases.
A more recent incident that drew attention to this subject was the Kerala Human Sacrifice case in 2022, remember that? Here, two women were killed in a black, magic ritual, and there were rumors that part of their bodies had been eaten. This case was classified as murder, but it did bring the topic of detailed laws on cannibalism to the forefront again.
Why India Needs a Specific Law on Cannibalism
To be honest, because of the lack of a specific law regarding cannibalism in India, there is a feeling of uncertainty in the legal system, that we can say for sure. Although the laws against murder and desecration of corpses partially intervene in such cases, they are still unable to solve the problem of the horrifying nature of cannibalism alone, you know? All in all, the issue of cannibalism is not solely the matter of taking a life; it is also the act of desecrating a corpse in a way that is beyond comprehension.
So yes, there is no doubt that in India, we need a strict law against cannibalism, which bans such activity.
