Dalit woman killed after her brother elopes with girl

In a case of suspected 'honour' killing, a caste Hindu hacked to death a Dalit woman on Friday after her brother married and eloped with his daughter.

Police said S. Viswanathan (29), a Dalit from Elango Nagar in Vannarpet under Palayamkottai police station limits, was in love with S. Kaveri (23), a caste Hindu engineering student from Thatchanallur. He married the girl four months ago and got the marriage registered.

Relatives protest

After Kaveri’s last semester examination got over recently, she eloped with Viswanathan on May 3. Agitated over this, the girl’s relatives started looking for the couple.

The girl’s father Sankar also visited Viswanathan’s house and allegedly threatened the youth’s parents to locate the couple.

Viswanathan’s father Shanmugavel filed a complaint with the Palayamkottai police seeking protection for his family.

On Friday afternoon, Sankar went to Shanmugavel’s house again and hacked Viswanathan’s sister S. Kalpana (27) with a sickle after a heated argument.

Though people in the vicinity rushed her to the nearby hospital and then to the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, she succumbed to her injuries.

The post-mortem could not be conducted as her relatives refused to give their consent, demanding the arrest of the culprit.