Family members of Scheduled Caste (SC) couple, killed in a suspected case of honour killing near Kulathur in Thoothukudi on July 4, demanded justice for the victims. They sought a detailed investigation into the murder.
T. Solairaja, 23, salt pan worker, and his pregnant wife A. Petchiammal alias Jothi, 21, were found dead on July 4. They got married on April 16 and belonged to two sub-sects of SC. She hailed from Pallankulam, 7 km from Kulathur, where they stayed after marriage.
Family members A. Ravichandran, T. Anand Raj and R. Jeyarani who met the press here on Tuesday, said the family repeatedly threatened the boy’s family before and after the marriage despite requests from Mr. Ravichandran to hold talks.
Mr. Anand Raj said that Jothi was firm in her decision to remain married to Solairaja and refused to go back to her parents. It might have angered them further, he said.
The three relatives said that girl’s father, Mr. Alagar, alone has been arrested in connection with the crime. “We suspect that a gang was involved. A single man could not have committed the crime,” said Mr. Ravichandran. Whenever the girl’s family threatened Solairaja’s family, they came in a group of 15.
There were always two men and village headman who would come and threaten to kill us all. It could not have been done by one person, said Ms. Jeyarani, who helped the couple hide from Jothi’s relatives soon after their marriage in Kovilpatti.
A. Kathir, Executive Director, Evidence, a non-governmental organisation, said that the police had failed to provide security to the couple when they sought it, apart from poor investigation. “No complaint was placed to the SC/ST cell,” he said.
Caste related crime within the community should also be handled with the same vigour as any other honour-related crime.
