Honour killing: Couple awarded death sentence in pregnant woman’s case

The incident happened in May, 2016, when Viswanathan, a Dalit from Vannarapetti in Tirunelveli working in the Indian Railways, eloped with an upper caste Hindu girl, Kaveri, from Thachanallur in Tirunelveli. Their love was opposed by Kaveri’s parents Sankaranarayanan and Chellammal. She was locked her up in her house but she managed to elope with Viswanathan on May 3 and married him. 

Following the incident, Sankaranarayanan had filed a complaint of kidnapping and Shanmugavel, father of Viswanathan too filed a complaint of threat from Sankaranarayan and family. Parents of Kaveri learnt that Viswanathan and Kaveri were in hiding in the house of Kalpana (elder sister of Viswanathan). They immediately went Kalpana’s house but when they realised that the couple were missing, Sankaranarayanan hacked Kalpana to death. Police claimed that Kalpana was pregnant during the time of the murder and also had a 18-month-old child. 

Following the murder, Palayamkottai police booked a case and arrested Sankaranarayan. The case was heard at the Additional Sessions Court-II at Tirunelveli and Judge Abdul Kadhar convicted Sankaranayaranan and Chellammal for honour killing, on Monday. 

However, the quantum of punishment was reserved on Tuesday. When the elderly couple was taken to the Court on Tuesday Chellammal cried at the Court that they would commit suicide if they were sentenced for prison. But the Judge pronounced death sentence for them and also 11 years for their crime under SC/ST (Prevention of Detention) Act.