Dalit Man Killed Near Mayiladuthurai After Inter-Caste Relationship Sparks Tension

A 28-year-old Dalit man was hacked to death near Mayiladuthurai on Monday night, allegedly by relatives of the woman he was in a long-term relationship with. Police have arrested five people so far in connection with the murder.

The victim, identified as Vairamuthu, had been in a relationship with Malini, a woman from a non-Dalit community. According to police, Malini’s mother, Vijaya, opposed their relationship and marriage plans. Officers said Vijaya strongly disliked Vairamuthu and his family and had openly objected to the couple being together.

Just last week, tensions came to light when Vijaya confronted Vairamuthu at his workplace, hurling abuses at him in an incident that was reportedly caught on video. Following this, the police arranged a meeting between the families, where Malini confirmed she wanted to marry Vairamuthu. After being rejected by her family, she moved in with him, and the couple was planning to legally register their marriage.

On Monday night, while Malini was away in Chennai for work, a group of six men ambushed Vairamuthu as he was returning home on his two-wheeler. Armed with sickles, they attacked him brutally, causing severe injuries to his neck and hands. He was rushed to Mayiladuthurai Government Hospital but died of his injuries.

Police registered a case based on a complaint from Vairamuthu’s mother, Rajalakshmi. Superintendent of Police G Stalin formed four special teams to track down the attackers, leading to the arrest of five suspects.

Meanwhile, the victim’s family and local organisations staged protests, demanding that the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act be applied in the case. They alleged that Vijaya had instigated the attack because she disapproved of her daughter’s relationship with a Dalit man.

The investigation is ongoing as police continue efforts to bring all those involved to justice.