Couple arrested for attempting to murder their Dalit son-in-law in Erode

Erode police arrest couple for attempting to kill son-in-law in inter-caste marriage dispute, investigation ongoing.

The Erode police on Thursday, March 7, 2024, arrested a couple, who had opposed the inter-caste marriage of their daughter with an Adi Dravidar young man, on charges of attempting to kill their son-in-law, in Bhavanisagar. While the young man managed to escape, his 16-year-old sister was killed in the incident that took place on Wednesday, March 6, 2024.

Police said J. Subash of Guruvayurappan Nagar in Bhavanisagar, who owns and operates a private ambulance, married C. Manju of the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community on October 8, 2023. Their love marriage was opposed by her parents, Chandran and Chitra.

On Wednesday, Subash was on his way on a two-wheeler to drop his sister Harini, a class 10 student, at a private school in the area. At 9 a.m. while they were nearing Nesavalar Colony on the Sathyamangalam – Mettupalayam Road, a pickup van rammed their two-wheeler from behind. In the impact, both were thrown off the vehicle. Subash suffered injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Sathyamangalam. Harini suffered head injuries and was admitted to a private hospital in Coimbatore. But she died there in the afternoon.

Preliminary inquiries by Sathyamangalam Deputy Superintendent of Police M.S. Saravanan revealed the accused couple had threatened Subash many times. The couple had been following Subash for the past one week and were planning to kill him. Chandran was at the wheel of the truck, while his wife accompanied him in the vehicle. They rammed the two-wheeler with their truck and fled the spot, police said.

Four special teams were formed to nab the suspects. The Bhavanisagar police registered a case of murder and a case under provisions of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. An investigation is underway.

Superintendent of Police G. Jawahar told The Hindu the couple was picked up from their hideout and inquiry is being held. “This was an attempt to ‘honour kill’ (murder due to caste) their son-in-law,” he said.

Meanwhile, unidentified persons damaged a two-wheeler and a concrete structure at the couple’s farm house in Bhavanisagar on Wednesday night and set it on fire. As the situation turned tense, police personnel were posted at the farm house and at the residence of Subash.