Sharmila, a 22-year-old widow of Praveen, a victim of honour killing in Chennai, passed away at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) on Monday, 22 April 2024. Sharmila had attempted suicide on 14 April 2024 but was rescued and admitted to a private hospital. She was later shifted to RGGGH for further treatment. She however failed to respond to treatment and passed away on 22 April 2024.
Sharmila married Praveen, aged 26, who worked as a mechanic and hailed from the Dalit community residing in Ambedkar Street, Pallikaranai. Initially, Praveen worked at a call center after which he and Sharmila, a BBA graduate from Jalladianpettai belonging to an Other Backward Caste, fell in love. Despite opposition from Sharmila’s parents due to caste differences, they opted for a self-respect marriage, duly registering it. They began living together in Praveen’s house.
Tragically, on 20 February 2024, Sharmila’s brother Dinesh and four others intercepted Praveen near a TASMAC outlet in Pallikaranai and brutally killed him using knives. The Pallikaranai police filed a case and arrested Dinesh, aged 24, along with his accomplices Sriram (18), Jothlingam (25), Vishnuraj (25), and Stephankumar (24).
Following the incident, Sharmila demanded the arrest of her parents and another brother, holding them accountable for her husband’s murder as well.
Despite the arrests and charges under IPC section 302 (murder) and under Section 3(2) (v) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, Praveen’s family accused the police of negligence, claiming the crime could have been prevented. They also alleged that Sharmila’s parents and eldest brother had abetted the crime.
In a written complaint to the Tambaram Commissioner dated 22 April 2024, G Chitra, Praveen’s mother, alleged that the police failed to include Sharmila’s parents’ and elder brother’s names in the charge sheet. She accused the police of supporting Sharmila’s family, causing her great distress. Chitra also claimed that when two of the accused, including Sharmila’s brother Dinesh, applied for bail earlier in April, the police failed to inform the family. The police allegedly delivered the court’s summon notice only one day prior to the summoned date.
Citing these reasons, Chitra has requested that the case be transferred to the CBCID. Earlier, Sharmila had alleged that she suspected her father to be backed by powerful people, as he is the Deputy Organising Secretary in the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party’s construction wing in Sholinganallur.
TNBJP state secretary SG Suryah expressed his concern on social media platform X, stating, “The South Chennai honor killing incident deeply troubled me in February, and now the wife is also no more. Is it because it involves a DMK Leader that activists and others remain silent? Honestly, in this society, lives seem to hold no value, and outrage only occurs when it politically suits.”
This #SouthChennai honour killing troubled me a lot in Feb & now wife is also no more. Just because it’s by a DMK Leader the activists & loudmouths have their mouths tied?
Honestly lives have no value in this society, outrage only when politically suits.https://t.co/JPPe8mibAb
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) April 23, 2024
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