Relying on the Supreme Court’s observation on acts of honour killing that such violence/threats/harassment are wholly illegal and those who commit them must be severely punished, the Madras High Court has rejected the bail plea of an accused arrested in connection with the murder of a dalit youth in Udumalpet on March 13.
Dismissing the bail plea, Justice S. Vadiyanathan directed the Judicial Magistrate I, Udumalpet to take up the case on a day-to-day basis, without adjourning it beyond two working days at any point of time, and to bring the issue to a logical conclusion.
The issue pertains to the murder of 22-year-old Shankar on a busy street near Central Bus Stand, Udumalpet
. A group intercepted Shankar and his wife Kausalya, who were walking out of a shopping complex and and brutally hacked him to death.
Kausalya, who attempted to protect her husband, was also inflicted with grievous injuries on her head and hands.
As per the statement of the defacto complainant, the offence was committed by six identifiable persons, who came in 2 two-wheelers. They were later arrested and remanded to judicial custody.
One of the accused V. Prasanna Kumar has filed a plea for bail. According to the petitioner he is a college student pursuing II year B.Com in Udumalpet.
He submitted that one of the six accused, identified by the de facto complainant, is the brother of his friend.
“At the time of occurrence of the alleged offence, the petitioner was waiting at a petrol bunk, a few meters away from the place of occurrence of offence. The six accused came on two bikes, saw the petitioner standing at the bunk, stopped there and took him saying that they will drop at his residence. But, they looked tense and dropped the petitioner in a place and left,” Prasanna Kumar’s counsel said.
He claimed that the petitioner came to know about the murder only through the media, and that he voluntarily surrendered before the Judicial Magistrate, Nallakotai.
Opposing his claims, the prosecution submitted that the petitioner had been charged under IPC for murder and for committing an offence against a Dalit under the provisions of SC/ ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Taking note of the submissions the Judge said, “It is very unfortunate that the alleged occurrence has taken place as a ‘honour killing’… The release of the petitioner and other accused would certainly endanger the life of Kausalya, who is under police protection. Even the earlier bail application moved by the petitioner stood dismissed taking note of the fact that after the murder of Shankar, there was an attempt to abduct Kausalya.”
Judicial Magistrate told to take up the case on a day-to-day basis, without adjourning it beyond 2 working days
