n the wake of murder of Dalit youth Gokulraj on June 23 near Namakkal, human rights organisations and political parties are demanding a separate legislation to combat honour killing.
Going by the number of cases reported, the menace of honour killing, first reported in Tamil Nadu in 2008, seems to be on the rise.
In western districts, cases of murders turning out to be honour killings present a grim situation. On July 4, 2014, Natham, a village in Dharmapuri district, will observe the second death anniversary of Ilavarasan, a Dalit youth who was found dead along the railway track following his love affair with a caste Hindu girl.
In Namakkal district, Gokulraj, another Dalit youth who was in love with a caste Hindu girl, was also found beheaded on the railway track.
A. Kathir, executive director of ‘Evidence’, a Madurai-based human rights organisation, says that Tamil Nadu in the last three years had accounted for 60 honour killings. The draft of a legislation to deal with honour killings submitted by the National Law Commission in 2011 is yet to see the light of the day.
The VCK, the Bahujan Samaj Party and various other Dalit outfits have called for an end to honour killings through stringent punishment. The existing laws did not prevent honour killings, say political parties.
‘60 killings in last three years’
In Tirupur, CPI (M) State secretary and Politburo member G. Ramakrishnan said honour killings have been very high in Tamil Nadu in the last three years.
“Around 60 honour killings took place in Tamil Nadu during the last three years. A separate legislation will put the onus on the accused to prove that he is innocent in the changing circumstances where bodies of victims were getting burnt.
Presently, when a case is [registered] under Section 302 (murder) of IPC, the prosecution has to prove the accused guilty,” he told reporters here on Friday.
