Dalit IT Engineer's Murder: Filmmaker Pa. Ranjith Urges Tamil Nadu Govt to Declare Atrocity-Prone Areas

Chennai- Filmmaker Pa. Ranjith, founder of the Neelam Cultural Centre, has strongly condemned the Tamil Nadu government and police for their inaction following the brutal honour killing of Kavin Selvaganesh, a 27-year-old software engineer, in Tirunelveli on July 27. In a statement, Ranjith demanded transparent investigations, immediate arrests, and the designation of districts like Tirunelveli, Sivagangai, Pudukkottai, and Thoothukudi as “Atrocity-Prone Areas” under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Kavin, the son of Tamilselvi and Chandrasekar, a government school teacher couple from Arumugamangalam in Thoothukudi district’s Eral Taluk, was hacked to death in broad daylight near the home of his lover, Subashini, who worked at a private hospital in Tirunelveli. Subashini’s parents, Saravanan and Krishnaveni, both police personnel, opposed the couple’s relationship. Despite their objections, the relationship continued, leading to the fatal attack by Subashini’s brother, Surjit.

Initially, only Surjit was named as the accused. Following protests and road blockades by Kavin’s family and relatives, who alleged the involvement of Subashini’s parents, the authorities included them as accused. However, Saravanan and Krishnaveni have not yet been arrested, raising concerns about the investigation’s impartiality given their police affiliations.

Ranjith criticized the government for failing to follow the Prevention of Atrocities Act, which mandates that the District Collector meet victims immediately after such incidents. The Collector has not yet visited Kavin’s family. He highlighted that Scheduled Caste communities are forced to protest for minimal justice, as seen in Kavin’s parents’ ongoing struggle.

The statement accused the current DMK government of continuing the previous administration’s indifference in handling Dalit-related cases. Ranjith expressed doubts about the case’s handling, given the accused’s police connections, and urged the government to conduct a transparent investigation and arrest Surjit’s parents immediately.

Ranjith emphasized the rising caste-based crimes in Tamil Nadu, calling for districts with high caste-related issues to be placed under special surveillance and declared as “Atrocity-Prone Areas” with dedicated police stations. He noted that basic legal protocols, such as filing First Information Reports (FIRs) promptly and transferring investigations to a Deputy Superintendent of Police, are often ignored, as recently pointed out by the Madras High Court.

The Neelam Cultural Centre condemned the police practice of circulating alternative narratives in the media to deflect attention from such crimes and demanded strict action against officers involved. Ranjith called for a committee led by a retired judge, Dalit activists, and intellectuals to investigate honour killings, analyze social factors, and prevent their recurrence. He also strongly criticized the DMK government and its allies for ignoring demands for a separate law against honour killings, urging immediate action to address this issue.