A 27-year-old Dalit IT engineer, Kevin Selva Ganesh, working at a software company in Chennai, has been brutally murdered in an honor killing case. Kevin and Subashini were in a romantic relationship, but Subashini's brother Surjit did not approve of the relationship. As a result, Surjit killed Kevin. Kevin was attacked near the Siddha Center in Tirunelveli district on Sunday, July 27. Following this incident, a wave of anger has swept across Tamil Nadu.
The murder of Kevin Selva Ganesh was committed by the accused Surjit, who is the son of a police sub-inspector (SI) couple. The police have arrested Surjit and sent him to judicial custody. His parents, Saravanan and Krishnakumari, both hold SI positions in the police department and have been suspended following the incident.
This murder has elicited angry reactions from the allied parties of the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu. VCK party leader Thol Thirumavalavan demanded a special law in protest against this inhumane murder. He also demanded the arrest and dismissal from police service of Surjit's parents. Additionally, he emphasized the need to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a thorough investigation of the case.
CPIM party's state secretary P. Shanmugam has also demanded a separate law against honor killings. "Such caste-based murders are constantly occurring in southern Tamil Nadu. The government says that existing laws are sufficient, but the recurrence of such incidents underscores the need for a separate law," Shanmugam explained.
Kevin Selva Ganesh's parents have rejected the aid fund provided by the government and have demanded strict action only against the parents of the accused. The police have filed a case against Surjit and his parents under the BNS (Indian Penal Code) and the Scheduled Castes and Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act.
The increasing incidents of honor killings in Tamil Nadu have disturbed the community, and social organizations and human rights groups have demanded immediate stringent measures in this context.