MADURAI: A teenaged girl from Ramanathapuram was found dead here on Monday within few days after she reportedly told her parents that she would marry her Dalit lover . It is suspected to be a case of honour killing.
In a statement, Evidence, an NGO, alleged that Shalini (17), a caste Hindu girl from Puthenthal and M Saravanan (24) a Dalit from Vannikudi, were in love for a couple of years. Saravanan, who was working in Dubai came to Ramanathapuram on November 16. When he went to meet Shalini at her home that day, the girl’s parents caught him and handed him over to police. Though the girl’s mother lodged sexual misbehavior complaint against the Dalit youth, Shalini denied such incidents, said A Kathir, executive director, Evidence. Anyway the boy was arrested on complaints of trespassing but later released on bail.
The caste Hindus kangaroo court conducted by one Narayanan threatened the girl’s family that if she married a Dalit, the family will be ostracized. However, Shalini insisted she would marry him.
On November 23, the girl was found dead in mysterious circumstances and before the police could reach the spot, her family cremated the body.