Family of man killed in Vriddhachalam over inter-caste marriage lives in exile

The members had to leave their village, fearing for their lives, after a series of attacks

The family of S. Murugesan, a Scheduled Caste man who was killed along with his wife D. Kannagi, belonging to the Most Backward Caste of Vanniyar, in 2003 over their inter-caste marriage, lives in exile today.

The members had to leave their native village of Kuppanatham old colony near Vriddhachalam last month, fearing for their lives, after a series of attacks on them since the day the Special Court for SC/ST cases in Cuddalore pronounced the conviction of the accused, including death sentence for Kannagi’s brother Marudhupandian involved in the brutal murders of both Murugesan and Kannagi, in September last year.

However, district police claimed the latest attacks had nothing to do with the main case.

Murugesan, 25, a chemical engineering graduate belonging to the Scheduled Caste community, and Kannagi, 22, a commerce graduate hailing from a Vanniyar family, were residents of Puthukooraipettai.

They fell in love while studying at Annamalai University. They secretly got married and registered their marriage on May 5, 2003, at Cuddalore. Angered by this, Kannagi’s family launched a hunt for them. On July 7 that year, they traced the couple, abducted them and forced them to drink poison in the early hours of July 8.

S. Velmurugan, the victim’s brother who is now working in Chennai, alleged that the family continued to face attacks in the village. “The attacks, including burning down of our hut in the Kuppanatham old colony, were carried out by those belonging to my caste after being instigated by the dominant Vanniyars for sending Kannagi’s family members to jail in the case.

“Over the past few months, we have been subjected to intimidation and threats. Though we lodged complaints with the police, no concrete action was made in any of the incidents,” Velmurugan told  The Hindu.