CHENNAI: Three years after the death of dalit youth Ilavarasan following his marriage with a Vanniyar girl and subsequent torching of three dalit hamlets near Dharmapuri, the case took a new turn with Madras High Court ordering CB-CID probe on Friday.
Ilavarasan was found dead near the railway track in Dharmapuri on July 4, 2013, days after Divya, whom he had married, returned to her family.
When the petition from his father, Elango of Natham Colony, seeking transfer of the case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising outstation officials came up before the bench of Chief Justice SK Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, a report was placed before it, in which the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Harur, claimed that Ilavarasan had committed suicide in an inebriated condition. He was distressed over the failure of his marriage and nobody could be blamed, the report added.
“In view of the different perceptions of the two doctors i.e at page (42) (and of the AIMS), we consider it appropriate that the deposition and investigation material be handed over to the CB-CID for further investigation,” the bench said.
A compliance report should be submitted, the bench added and listed the matter to February 17.
Earlier, the bench, disposing of a batch of petitions from advocates S Senkodi and P Pugalenthi and others relating to the atrocities committed on dalits by Caste Hindus right from the death of Divya’s father, had made several observations and gave directions which included fixing responsibility for administrative lapses.
According to petitioner, after his son married Divya and her father committed suicide, the caste Hindus unleashed violence on dalits living in three colonies in Dharmapuri district in November 2012. Nearly 400 houses were torched and properties worth several lakhs damaged. On July 4, 2013, his son was found dead near a railway track. After he moved the court, second post mortem was conducted. While so, on July 7, 2013, the Superintendent of Police informed the media that Illavarasan’s death was suicide. This created serious doubts in the fairness of the investigation conducted by the local police.