MADURAI: The investigation into the death of 16-year-old K Tamilselvan has been transferred from Mohan, Inspector of Koodal Pudur police station, to Nirmala, Inspector (Crime) of Sellur police station, police said.
The members of the ‘Tamilselvan Neethikaana Kootiyakam attempted to lay siege to the office of the Madurai city police commissioner on Monday, alleging that Tamilselvan was a victim of honour killing and demanding that murder charges be registered against the suspects. Tamilselvan’s family members also took part in the protest.
The protesters alleged that though the investigating officer had been changed a few days ago, the family was not informed about the development. They demanded that the case be transferred to the CB-CID, claiming they had no faith in the local police investigation.
Tamilselvan of Vallalar Cross Street had gone missing from 12.30 pm on September 6 and was found dead the next day in a waterbody (kanmai) in JJ Nagar. His mother K Yogalakshmi (41) told TNIE that Tamilselvan was threatened and assaulted by Duraipandian as her son was close to his daughter. She suspects Duraipandian and five boys, who went to bathe with Tamilselvan on the fatal day, as suspects for Tamilselvan’s murder. Two unidentified boys are also suspected, said Yogalakshmi.
The boy and the girl belong to intermediate castes. Though Tamilselvan’s family alleges foul play in his death, police maintain that it is a drowning incident.
Further, in Tamilselvan’s postmortem report dated September 8, “no” opinion was given by the forensic medicine department of the Madurai Medical College though it has stated that samples have been taken for chemical analysis and histopathology. Tamilselvan’s body is still in the mortuary and the family said they would claim it for the final rites only if they got justice.
One of the organisers of the Kootiyakam, Raja, said police failed to take any action in the case.
“Transfer the case to the CB-CID as we don’t have faith in the police investigation. Invoke murder charges in the case and do not let the suspects of the case escape,” he demanded. In view of the agitation, vehicles were diverted from the road in front of the commissioner’s office . Police prevented the protesters from proceeding to the Commissioner’s office from near Lotus Tank where they had assembled. The police later arrested the protesters.
DMK leader and Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi objected to the arrest, stating the police were attempting to suppress the victim’s family instead of arresting the suspects.
Neelam Panpattu Maiyam, an organisation which works closely with SC communities, in an X post demanded investigation into the alleged honour killing aspect.