Gokulraj murder: HC judges inspect temple, crime spot in Tiruchengode

COIMBATORE: Two judges of the Madras High Court MS Ramesh and N Anand Venkatesh on Sunday inspected the Arthanareeswarar Temple in Tiruchengode and the railway track near Pallipalayam, where the body of Dalit youth V Gokulraj was found beheaded on June 24, 2015.

Gokulraj, who hails from Omalur in Salem, was abducted from the temple while he was with his friend Swathi, a caste Hindu, on June 23, 2015. The next day, his body was found with his head severed along the railway track near Pallipalayam.

A special court for cases booked under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in Madurai, had convicted Yuvaraj of Dheeran Chinnamalai Peravai and nine others to life imprisonment in March 2022. Meanwhile, Swathi, the prime witness in the case turned hostile and is facing charges of contempt.

The two judges visited the temple around 11.40 am and watched the CCTV recordings, which had Gokulraj and Swathi entering the temple. They also went around the temple and inspected the premises before visiting the crime spot along the railway track.

Judges MS Ramesh and N Anand Venkatesh at Arthanareeswarar Temple in Tiruchengode in Namakkal.