Tirupur: The father-in-law of a Dalit man -- allegedly murdered by his upper caste in-laws in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur district -- surrendered before the police on Monday. The father appeared before a local court in Nilakottai in Dindigal district of the state, about 380 kms from Chennai.
A gang of unidentified men armed with hatchets and sickles attacked the 22-year-old Sunday, killing the youth in broad daylight. The boy was taken to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Read: Newly-wed couple attacked in public in Tamil Nadu, Dalit husband killed
The wife of the deceased belongs to a member of the dominant Thevar caste. She was with him at the time of the incident and was critically injured and admitted in the intensive care unit.
According to police, Shankar, 22, from Komaralingam in Tirupur, fell in love with Kausalya, 19, of Palani in Dindigul when they were in college. The youth was in his final year in engineering at a private college in Palani and she was his junior.
Shankar married her eight months ago against the wishes of the girl’s parents and the couple lived at Komaralingam. Meanwhile, she discontinued her studies and joined a private company near Udumalpet, while the youth continued studying.
The couple were at the Udumalpet central bus stand boarding a vehicle Sunday when they were attacked.
A Dindigul report quoting police said the father told magistrate Rajina Parveen,who remanded him to 15-day judicial custody, that he had no link with the murder. His brothers-in-law could have done it as they were against his daughter marrying a Dalit, he said.
He told the magistrate that he had surrendered as he feared he would be arrested.
Police said two persons had been taken into custody for questioning.
TNCC President EVKS Elangovan, Left parties, MDMK, VCK and DK condemned the incident and called for immediate arrest of the culprits. The incident comes close on the heels of the murder of engineering student Gokulraj of Namakkal in a suspected honour killing.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed at the government hospital in Udumalpet as the relatives of the victim refused to accept the body and sought immediate arrest of the culprits.
Activists from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, AIDWA, Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam and SFI also gathered at the hospital premises.
Kausalya, who is recovering at the government hospital, told reporters that her father Chinnasamy was totally opposed to their relationship and threatened to act against Shankar some time ago. He had clearly told her that if she returned home alone, Shankar will be spared, she claimed. Kausalya said she will be in a position to identify the culprits.
Stone pelting incidents were reported in Kumaralingam, the native place of Shankar, forcing closure of shops, and necessitating deployment of police force there. However, the situation was brought under control, police said.
The parents and relatives of Shankar, numbering over 60, gathered at the hospital, where they refused to accept the body, demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and also proof of the arrest.
