THANJAVUR: Vattathikkottai police are on the lookout for a caste Hindu man who allegedly murdered his daughter for marrying a Dalit youth. Sources said the deceased girl, identified as P Iswariya (19) from Neivaviduthi, was in an affair with B Naveen (19) belonging to a Scheduled Caste community from Poovaalur near Pattukkottai, for the last five years. They used to travel in the same bus to school.
After completing his diploma course in mechanical engineering, Naveen got hired at a hosiery unit in Avarapalayam, Tiruppur, while Iswarya found employment at a textile mill in Palladam. Two months ago, Iswarya got hired at the same workplace as Naveen.
Subsequently, the two decided to get married, and it was at that time Iswarya’s family got to know about their relationship. Pointing to Naveen being a Dalit man, the family members of the girl, belonging to a caste Hindu community, opposed their union. Despite opposition, Naveen and Iswarya got married at a temple in Avarapalayam on December 31, 2023, and moved into a rented house near Veerapandi bus stand.
Meanwhile, on January 2, Iswarya’s father, Perumal, filed a complaint with Palladam police claiming his daughter was missing. The same day, police tracked down the couple and asked Iswarya to accompany them to meet her father. According to sources, Naveen who visited Palladam police station sometime later had seen Iswarya leaving the place in a car with her father and some relatives.
The following day, Naveen’s friends allegedly informed him that Iswarya was murdered by her father and relatives, and her body was cremated at a nearby burial ground. Naveen filed a complaint with Vattathikottai police on Sunday. Sources said he had waited four days to register the complaint as he feared for his life.
Speaking to TNIE, Tiruppur SP Saminathan said, “Based on her father’s missing complaint, we traced Iswarya to Veerapandi near Tiruppur city. During the inquiry at the station she said she wanted to go along with her father, and police allowed her to do so. There is nothing to hide about it.”