KRISHNAGIRI: A 53-year-old man was sentenced to two life sentences by a Krishnagiri court on Friday for 'honour' killings.
The Krishnagiri Principal and sessions court sentenced 53-year-old P Dhandapani, a native of Arunapathy village near Uthangarai taluk for the murder of his son and mother over his son's intercaste marriage with a dalit girl.
Dhandapani, a caste Hindu had opposed his son D Subash's marriage to dalit girl S Anusuya (27) from Ariyalur district three years ago.
"In 2023, while Subash was working in a textile company he came into contact with Anusuya and the couple got married in March 2023. However, Dhandapani had opposed the union, while Dhandapani's mother P Kannammal (65) had supported her grandson's choice," say police.
In April 2023, Dhandapani invited the couple to his home in Arunapathy in the guise of reconciliation. But the next day Dhandapani hacked Subash to death while he was asleep. Kannammal, who attempted to rescue her grandson, was also hacked to death.
While Anusuya tried to escape, she was also hacked and left for dead. Anusuya was later rescued and rushed to the Krishnagiri government hospital and later transferred to the Dharmapuri Medical College hospital where she survived after treatment.
The Uthangarai police arrested Dhandapani under IPC 307, 302 and SC/ST POA Act. The trial of the case was being conducted in the Krishnagiri Principal and Sessions Court.
On Friday, judge VR Latha sentenced Dhandapani to two life imprisonments for murder and another 10 year for the attempted murder of Anusuya. Further, he has been fined Rs 8,000 and the judge ordered the Krishnagiri District administration to pay Rs 2 lakh to Anusuya in accordance with SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
In a press meet at the CPI(M) party headquarters in Krishnagiri, Anusuya told media personnel, "The Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front and the CPI(M) had played a key role in helping me overcome the loss and seeking justice. The judgement brings hope to victims of honour killing. As a victim I feel a separate law for honour killing must be enacted in Tamil Nadu. This judgement is a lesson to people who place caste above all else".
Anusuya also expressed her thanks to TNUEF and CPI(M) for their aid in nine surgeries and education, helping her to complete her B.Ed course.
P Suganthi, state general secretary of TNUEF, was also present at the press meet.