Tirunelveli: Days after 27-year-old dalit techie Kavin Selvaganesh was hacked to death in an alleged inter-caste killing, his parents continue to refuse his body, demanding the arrest of those they believe enabled the murder, including the parents of the main accused, who are both serving police officers.
The Tamil Nadu government has now handed over the investigation to the CB-CID in response to mounting allegations of police complicity.
Kavin, a native of Tuticorin and belonging to the Devendra Kula Vellalar community, was killed on July 27 in KTC Nagar, Tirunelveli. The attack is suspected to have been triggered by his relationship with Subashini, a woman from the dominant Maravar caste. Her brother, 23-year-old Surjith, was detained under the Goondas Act on Wednesday, July 30.
The transfer of the case to the CB-CID came after it emerged that Surjith’s parents, Saravanan and Krishnakumari, are sub-inspectors in the Tamil Nadu Special Police and have been named co-accused in the FIR. Both have been suspended from duty.
As per a statement issued by the police, Surjith's father and police Sub-inspector Saravanan have been arrested in the case.
Family Demands Arrest of Police Officials
Kavin’s father, Chandrasekar, told reporters that his son had been threatened by Palayamkottai inspector Kasi Pandian just days before the killing. “Pandian should be dismissed. No senior officer has come forward to investigate. If the government does not act, we will resort to all forms of protest,” he said, as quoted by TOI.
For the fourth straight day, the family has refused to receive the body, insisting that Surjith’s parents be arrested and that all allegedly complicit officers face action.
Dalit Rights group Demands Second Autopsy
At a press conference in Madurai, Evidence NGO founder A Kathir called for an immediate arrest of Surjith’s parents, citing chat records confirming Kavin and Subashini’s relationship. “This doesn’t appear to be a murder executed solely by Surjith. The injury marks suggest trained hands. The postmortem was rushed. We demand a second, transparent autopsy,” he said, urging the chief minister to act and push for a law to prevent caste-based killings in Tamil Nadu.
Senior ministers and top police officials have since met Kavin’s family, but the body remains has still not be claimed.
