Sankar murder case: Tamil Nadu court hands death sentence to six

Sankar and his wife Kausalya were attacked in broad daylight near a bus stop in Udumalpet in March.

A local court in Tamil Nadu sentenced six persons to death in connection with the suspected honour killing of a Dalit man, Sankar, in Tirupur district last year. While the victim’s father-in-law was among those convicted, his mother-in-law has been acquitted in the case.

Sankar, an engineering graduate from a Dalit family, had married Kausalya, a woman from the Thevar community, against her family’s wishes. Eight months after their wedding, the couple was attacked in broad daylight near a bus stop in Udumalaipettai town in March.

The attack was allegedly carried out at the behest of Kausalya’s father, who was against their inter-caste marriage. CCTV footage recovered from the site of the murder showed Sankar being brutally hacked to death with sickles, while his wife sustained severe head injuries. According to police, Sankar had multiple injuries, including a deep sickle gash on his neck. He was declared dead on arrival at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital.

Police had arrested 11 persons, including Kausalya’s parents, and registered under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.