Activist wants SIT comprising other State police officers to probe Thanjavur caste killing

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising police officers from other States should be constituted to probe the recent murder of a 19-year-old girl, P. Isvarya, allegedly by her parents in Thanjavur after she eloped with a youth, Naveen belonging to a Scheduled Caste, A. Kathir, executive director of Evidence, a Madurai-based organisation, said on Friday (January 12, 2024). According to him, there were discrepancies in the police investigation in the case.

“Isvarya’s parents P. Perumal and Roja, after bringing her from Tiruppur where she and the 19-year-old Naveen got ‘married’ (legally void as the boy is not of marriageable age), hanged her from a tree,” he charged.

Later, placing the body on a cot, they allegedly dragged it to a graveyard about one km away from their house and set fire to it on January 3. The crime came to light after five days, only after Naveen filed a police complaint. Further, he said, upon receiving a girl missing complaint from her parents, Tiruppur police found the couple near Veerapandi area in Tiruppur.

“The police brought only Isvarya to the police station, leaving Naveen behind. Then, Isvarya was handed over to her parents, who took her to their village near Thanjavur,” he added.

While there was a 2018 Supreme Court direction to State governments to follow 21 guidelines while dealing with inter-caste marriages, Tamil Nadu police followed none of them.

“Knowing that there was an issue in the marriage, the police allowed the girl to be taken away by their parents. Secondly, Tiruppur police after handing over Isvarya to her parents should have informed Thanjavur police of the incident,” he said.

Sensing the ominous situation, at least the Village Administrative Officer (VAO) should have checked on the girl in her village.

Mr. Kathir alleged that the police, to protect a few caste outfit members, who had a significant role in the murder, were framing only the parents. If not for the police’s lethargic attitude in handling the situation, the murder could have been averted, he said.

He said police protection should be given to the family of Naveen, who registered a police complaint to find the girl. “Since a few witnesses have given their statements, the evidence recorded should be taken under Section 164 (Recording confessions and statements) of the Cr.P.C. to protect them from being misinterpreted,” Mr. Kathir added.

While the Central government had informed Parliament that three caste killings were recorded in Tamil Nadu from 2017 to 2021, Mr. Kathir said, the actual number was significantly undermined as he through his investigation found out 24 caste killings from 2021 to 2023. “Nine of them were recorded in the southern districts,” he added.