Chennai- In a disturbing continuation of caste-related violence in southern Tamil Nadu, two young women were allegedly murdered by their own family members in separate incidents in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts in early June , triggering renewed calls for comprehensive legislation to curb honour killings.

Tirunelveli Incident: On the night of June 8-9, 23-year-old Ramalakshmi from Melakaram in Suthamalli village was hacked to death with a sickle by her younger brother, A. Muthukrishnan (21).

According to police and reports, the attack followed a quarrel when Muthukrishnan saw his sister talking on her mobile phone for an extended period with a young man from the Dalit community, whom she was reportedly in love with. Ramalakshmi, who worked at a private solar power company, succumbed to her injuries on the way to Palayamkottai Government Hospital. Suthamalli police promptly arrested Muthukrishnan based on a complaint by their mother, Kannagi.

Thoothukudi Incident: In a parallel case, 18/19-year-old S. Abi Selvi of South Mayilodai village near Kayathar was allegedly beaten and murdered by her elder brother S. Sivagnanam (20) with the assistance of their mother, Esther Pauline (36), over her long-term relationship with a man from Salem whom she had met on Instagram. The family initially claimed it was a suicide by hanging or poisoning on June 9, but the post-mortem examination and police investigation revealed clear signs of assault and murder. Kayathar police arrested Sivagnanam and Esther Pauline on June 10. A relative, Sankaralingam, was mentioned in some accounts as involved in the assault.

Police investigations in both recent cases are ongoing, and further details may emerge.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) strongly condemned the incidents in a statement issued by its founder-president Thirumavalavan. The party described the killings as part of a distressing rise in caste-based honour crimes in the southern districts. While appreciating the Tamil Nadu police for their swift arrests, VCK reiterated its long-standing demand for a dedicated law to prevent such atrocities. The statement highlighted the Supreme Court’s repeated directives to Union and State governments for specific legislation, which have largely gone unheeded.

About Justice K.N. Basha Commission

In November 2025 , the DMK government formed a special commission headed by retired Madras High Court judge Justice K.N. Basha, with members including former IAS officer V. Palanikumar and former IPS officer S. Ramanathan. The commission’s mandate includes wide consultations, studying the root causes of honour killings and caste-based hate crimes, and recommending a standalone law along with preventive measures such as protection for inter-caste couples, awareness drives, and fast-track trials.

As of mid-June, the commission has received significant inputs including data on 59 honour killings from 2017-2025 submitted by the organisation Evidence in March 2026 but has not yet submitted its final report to the government. It faced early operational hurdles, including lack of basic infrastructure. VCK urged the Tamil Nadu government to expedite receipt of the report and enact strong legislation without further delay.

These incidents echo the 2025 murder of software engineer Kavin Selva Ganesh (Tirunelveli), a Dalit youth allegedly killed in an inter-caste relationship, which prompted petitions in the Supreme Court and intensified demands from parties including VCK. Activists and opposition voices continue to press for systemic change beyond existing provisions like the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The VCK statement concludes with a direct appeal to the current Tamil Nadu government to act on the Basha Commission’s impending recommendations to break the cycle of caste-based violence in the name of 'honour.' The statements reads: " It is noteworthy that following the murder of software engineer Kavin in Nellai last year, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court on behalf of TVK, urging the enactment of a specific law to address this issue. In light of this, we strongly urge the current government to obtain the recommendations of the K.N. Basha Commission and immediately enact legislation to prevent honor killings."