CHENNAI– In a suspected case of honor killing, a 26-year-old Dalit IT professional was brutally hacked to death in broad daylight in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district on Sunday.
The victim, Kavin Kumar, was allegedly murdered by the younger brother of the woman he was in a relationship with, triggering widespread outrage. The victim’s family has accused the woman’s parents—both serving sub-inspectors in the Tamil Nadu police—of complicity in the crime.
A native of Arumugamangalam near Ayiralan in Thoothukudi district, Kavin Kumar had been employed with a private IT firm in Chennai and had recently returned to his hometown. According to residents, he had fallen in love with a classmate while studying at a local school years ago. The woman is the daughter of Saravanan and Krishnakumari, both sub-inspectors with the Manimutharu battalion of the state police. The family currently resides in KTC Nagar, Palayamkottai.
Despite maintaining contact through college, the couple’s relationship faced strong opposition from the woman’s family, reportedly due to caste differences. The woman belongs to an intermediate caste, and her family is said to have firmly opposed the match.
Nevertheless, Kavin Kumar continued to travel from Ayiralan to Palayamkottai, often on his motorcycle, in hopes of meeting her. On Sunday, he had accompanied his family to a private hospital in Palayamkottai, where his grandfather was undergoing treatment.
According to police, Surjith, the woman’s 24-year-old younger brother, learned that Kavin Kumar was at the hospital. After the appointment, as Kavin Kumar stepped outside to return home, Surjith—who had reportedly been waiting nearby with a concealed sickle—approached him under the pretense of a conversation. An argument broke out, during which Surjith allegedly attacked him with the weapon and fled the scene.
Kavin Kumar died at the scene from severe injuries. Police recovered the body and sent it for post-mortem examination. Based on CCTV footage and preliminary evidence, Surjith was arrested shortly after the attack.
The killing has sparked outrage across the region, with the victim’s family accusing the woman’s parents of being involved in the murder. A case has been registered against both officers, who have been placed on a waiting list pending further investigation.
The incident has reignited concerns about caste-based honor killings in Tamil Nadu, even among families within the law enforcement community. (Source: IANS)
