In a brutal caste killing reported in Madurai district, a man from the Arunthathiyar community was beheaded for his relationship with a woman from the Devandra Kulla Vellalar community. Both communities are categorised as Scheduled Caste (SC). However, Devandra Kulla Vellalars believe that they rank ‘higher’ in the caste hierarchy than Arunthathiyars. The victim, Azhagendran, was in his early twenties and had reportedly been in a relationship with Rudrapriya. He was stripped, beheaded and his body left in the undergrowth near Kalligudi town.
Madurai district Superintendent of Police (SP) Arvind told TNM that Azhagendran’s body was not discovered until Thursday, June 27. The victim’s head was found buried separately in the bank of an irrigation tank nearby.
The SP also said that the couple lived in Virudhunagar district with their families, but the murder was committed in Madurai district where Azhagendran hailed from. One person, identified as Prabakaran, has been taken into custody and is under interrogation. Rudrapriya’s father, Seenivasan, is on the run. Both Seenivasan and Prabakaran have previous cases against them in Virudhunagar, the SP added.
However, when asked about these previous cases, TNM was directed to the Virudhunagar police. When TNM reached out to Virudhunagar SP Feroze Khan Abdullah, he said that the case is being handled by the Madurai police and declined to provide details.
This story was originally published in thenewsminute.com. Read the full story here.