DEEP DIVES 
In 2003, a horrifying crime unfolded in a small village in Tamil Nadu, exposing the dark and brutal realities of caste-based violence in India. This was not just any crime—it was an ‘honour’ killing that left two young lovers dead and a community shaken.
S. Murugesan, a Dalit engineering graduate, and Kannagi, a Vanniyar girl, fell deeply in love while studying at Annamalai University. Despite their courage to marry against all odds, their union was met with fierce opposition from Kannagi’s family and caste leaders. The couple’s love was seen as a threat to the rigid caste hierarchy that still governs many parts of rural India.
What happened next is chilling. Kannagi’s father, Duraisamy, and his men kidnapped the couple, brutally tortured Murugesan in front of villagers, and forced both to consume poison. This gruesome act was carried out in broad daylight, right near a temple and a burial ground, underscoring the cold-blooded nature of the crime.
The police initially dismissed the case as a suicide, and influential village leaders tried to hush up the murder. But the truth slowly surfaced thanks to the relentless efforts of the victims’ families and human rights activists. The investigation revealed a horrifying conspiracy rooted in casteism, where so-called “honour” was used as a deadly excuse to justify murder.
After years of legal battles, the courts delivered justice. The Supreme Court upheld life sentences for the masterminds behind the killing and condemned the caste system that fuels such atrocities. The judgment called this crime “dastardly” and emphasized that honour killings must be punished severely to dismantle the caste-based violence still rampant today.
This tragic story is a grim reminder of how deep-rooted social prejudices can lead to unimaginable horror. It forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about caste, honour, and justice in modern India.
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