It appears that left-leaning parties in Tamil Nadu often choose simple political posturing over addressing the serious issue of caste-based violent killings, particularly in cases such as honor killings. Recently, parties like the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Communist factions, and the Naam Tamilar Katchi created an uproar, claiming a murder in Valliyur, Tirunelveli was an honour killing. However, when investigations revealed that the killing involved individuals from the same caste and was rooted in a personal rivalry, these parties quickly withdrew their protests, abandoning the issue.
This comes at the backdrop of similar case unfolded earlier in Tirunelveli, where a young man named Kavin was brutally murdered for loving a woman from a different caste. This case generated widespread outrage and support. Leaders from Kavin’s community presented clear demands and cooperated with the government to ensure justice. Only after these demands were met did Kavin’s family receive his body, while social media was filled with condemnations of the honor killing.
In contrast, the murder case in Valliyur brought to light a different kind of complexity in its background. The victim, Prabhudas, a 27-year-old contractor from Thanganer village in the Sanganeri panchayat near Radhapuram, Tirunelveli district, was found dead by the roadside after going missing for two days. His friend, Tamilarasan, who was with him during the incident, was found unconscious and later hospitalized. Initial police investigations suggested an accident, but Tamilarasan’s recovered testimony confirmed that Prabhudas was hacked to death by a gang.
Members of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and Naam Tamilar Party clashed with police, claiming Prabhudas was an honor killing victim from their caste. They blocked roads and demanded justice, accusing certain groups of plotting to suppress their community’s progress. Prabhudas’s grieving parents joined protests, lamenting the loss and demanding accountability.
The police arrested four individuals Vinoth, Lingusamy, Maharajan from Kudankulam, and Arunkumar from Thisayanvilai in connection with the murder. Crucially, all arrested belonged to Prabhudas’s own caste. According to police, the victim, Prabhudas, was murdered out of vengeance. The killers’ motive stemmed from a previous relationship between Prabhudas and a woman who had allegedly taken her own life after he threatened her with compromising photos. The perpetrators killed him after learning that he is currently engaged to someone else. The assailants were relatives of the woman and harbored enmity over her death and marriage arrangements. The investigation made clear that this was not an honor killing in the traditional caste-oppression sense but a murder arising from personal rivalry within the same caste.
Upon this revelation, political parties that initially protested quietly withdrew, raising questions about their genuine commitment to combating caste violence. The incident underscores the complex realities of caste in society: while some seek justice and equality, others may exploit caste identity for political gain or personal vendettas.
மீண்டும் ஒரு ஆணவ கொலையா?.. சாலையில் உருண்டு போராட்டம்.. கொலையாளியின் சாதியால் டுவிஸ்ட்..! போராளிகள் கலைந்து சென்றது ஏன்?#Nellai | #LoveIssue | #Murder | #Protest | #PolimerNews pic.twitter.com/nwhzgDiHVs
— Polimer News (@polimernews) August 9, 2025
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