THANJAVUR– In a tragic incident, a 19-year-old woman, Aishwarya, hailing from the Kallar community in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district, was allegedly killed by her family for marrying a 19-year-old Dalit man, Naveen, from the Devendra Kula Vellalar community. The incident, as reported by The Indian Express, occurred on January 3.
Aishwarya and Naveen’s love story began during their school days, and their relationship flourished over a year and a half. Despite belonging to different communities – Aishwarya from the Kallar community, considered a dominant caste, and Naveen from the Devendra Kula Vellalar community, a Scheduled Caste – they got married on December 31, 2023, at a temple in Avarampalayam near Coimbatore. However, as Naveen is 19 years old, their marriage was not legally valid.
After their marriage, the couple rented a house in the Veerapandi area of Tiruppur to start a new life together. Unfortunately, their happiness was short-lived. On January 2, acting on a missing complaint filed by Aishwarya’s father, the Palladam police recovered Aishwarya from her residence. Subsequently, Aishwarya’s father and his associates took her home against her husband Naveen’s protests, warning him not to contact her again.
Tragically, on January 3, Aishwarya was found dead in her room. Naveen, who filed a complaint on January 7, accused Aishwarya’s family of murder. The police have detained six family members, including her father, for questioning on suspicion of involvement in the crime. The case has been registered under sections 302 (murder) and 201 of the Indian Penal Code, dealing with punishment for destroying evidence.
According to the Tiruppur Superintendent of Police office, Aishwarya had reportedly agreed to go with her parents after discussions with the police. The local authorities were believed to have advised her to go with her parents considering her age, unaware that a tragedy would unfold in the next few hours. The investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding Aishwarya’s untimely death and bring those responsible to justice.