The new government headed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay as Chief Minister should immediately take steps to prevent honour killing in Tamil Nadu.

Evidence, an NGO, which works for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and the downtrodden people in the society, has strongly condemned the brutal murder of a 19-year-old boy Sanjay from Thoothukudi district. The boy, who hails from Devendra Kula Vellalar, was in love with an 18-year-old girl, also from the same community in the neighbourhood.

However, about six months ago, the girl’s family, after coming to know about this had opposed the proposal and instructed to immediately cut-off the connection with the boy, failing which they had to face dire consequences.

Under such circumstances, the boy had reportedly decided to stay away from talking with the girl and had gone to Chennai for work with two of his relatives.

When Sanjay was about to leave for Chennai, he was waiting at the bus stand in Kovilpatti, the girl’s family comprising three persons had arrived and even as they were talking, one among them pulled out an ‘aruval’ and attacked Sanjay, who fell on the ground.

Watching the horrific attack on a teen-aged boy, many passersby preferred to watch and leave. “This was disturbing” as none had the courage to even question, Mr Kathir said and added that in the next two hours, the boy who was seriously injured in his neck died in the government hospital.

Fact-finding team

A fact-finding team from Evidence visited Karaikulam, Sanjay’s village on Wednesday. The couple Manickam and Murugeswari have three children - Ajay, Vijay and Sanjay. Being differently-abled, the family was struggling to make both ends meet. Hence, the children, at a very young age had to go for daily wage.

Between 2017 and 2025, though 59 honour killing crimes had been witnessed in Tamil Nadu, the governments, in the past, had claimed it as a meagre four. “This was highly disturbing” and when Tamil Nadu had been looked at as a progressive State in the country, such brutal murders had stunned the civil society,” Mr Kathir said.

The new government headed by Mr Vijay, who has defeated two major Dravidian parties, should bring in the much needed change. An exclusive law for honour killing alone would discourage the people from committing such heinous crimes.

Though the police had registered a case of murder and among other Sections and arrested the accused, they would step out of the prisons in a few days by obtaining bail. “To stop such crimes, the government should bring in tough laws,” he appealed.

Sanjay is no more, but to prevent yet another youth from the clutches of death, the new government, in a bid to instill confidence, should bring about the change and prevent honour killing, Mr Kathir stressed.