A 28-year-old Dalit man from the Paraiyar community was fatally attacked in Tamil Nadu’s Mayiladuthurai district late Monday night, allegedly due to an inter-caste relationship, prompting significant protests over police inaction despite prior complaints.
The victim, K. Vairamuthu, a diploma holder in DME and a mechanic from Adiyamangalam village, had been in a ten-year relationship with Malini, a 26-year-old MBA graduate residing in Chennai. Her family had been opposed to the relationship.
Reports indicate that around 10:30 PM on Monday, Vairamuthu was ambushed by a group of men as he was on his way home and was attacked with sickles, suffering severe injuries to his neck and wrists. Before the attack, Malini’s mother reportedly confronted Vairamuthu at his workplace, directing casteist insults towards him and referencing her own experiences with inter-caste marriage, according to South First.
Malini’s family background includes her father being from the Paraiyar community and her mother, Vijaya, from the Backward Class (BC) Chettiar community, who expressed strong opposition to Malini’s plans to marry Vairamuthu.
After the attack, Vairamuthu was taken to Mayiladuthurai Government Hospital but succumbed to his injuries. On September 14, police had mediated a meeting between the two families, where Malini reaffirmed her intention to marry Vairamuthu and had reportedly moved in with him after being disowned by her family. Their family had submitted a written assurance to the police promising no interference in the couple’s relationship.
On the night of the murder, Malini was in Chennai to collect documents for their marriage registration when Vairamuthu was subsequently attacked. Reports indicate that Malini’s brother, Gugan, assaulted her at the railway station, and when Vairamuthu intervened over the phone, Gugan allegedly threatened his life.
Following a complaint from Vairamuthu’s mother, Rajalakshmi, police initiated an investigation and established four special investigation teams. At least ten suspects have been detained for questioning, including Malini’s brothers, Gugan and Gunal.
The murder has led to protests in Mayiladuthurai, with over 150 participants, including Malini, the victim’s relatives, and members of organizations such as the CPI(M), DYFI, and VCK. Protesters staged roadblocks near the government hospital and along the Mayiladuthurai–Kumbakonam highway, demanding that all involved, including Vijaya, be charged under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and calling for sufficient compensation for Vairamuthu’s family.
Traffic disruptions persisted for hours on Tuesday as demonstrators refused to accept Vairamuthu’s body until their demands were addressed. “I told my parents I would marry him with their consent, but they disowned me in writing,” Malini stated during a protest. “My family has always harassed him. Today, they have killed him.” She named those she held responsible for Vairamuthu’s murder, insisting on their arrest.
Malini expressed devastation over the loss, stating, “After ten years of love, everything has been destroyed. He couldn’t even live peacefully in the house he built.” She criticized police assurances of safety, claiming they failed to protect them.
CPI(M) state secretary P. Shanmugam condemned the murder as a caste-based crime and highlighted police negligence, noting that despite prior threats and complaints, no protection was provided to Vairamuthu.
Tags: Dalit youth, inter-caste relationship, Tamil Nadu, honor killing, arrest suspects
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