When caste pride kills young love

Village in mourning: Villagers gathered in large numbers at Kavin Selvaganesh’s residence in Arumugamangalam on Friday when his funeral took place. His family refused to accept the body and demanded the arrest of the killer’s parents. But after the arrest of Surjith under the Goondas Act and the arrest of his father, they relented. | Photo credit: N. Rajesh

The quiet village of Arumugamangalam near the banks of the Tamirabharani in Thoothukudi district of southern Tamil Nadu has only about 300 families. However, since last Sunday (July 27), residents have been losing sleep and the otherwise nondescript village has been visited by senior ministers, politicians, top police officers and leaders of caste units. The visits followed a cold-blooded murder stemming from a love affair involving a Scheduled Caste boy and a Middle Caste girl. For some, it was a crime that deserved punishment.

Chandrasekar, the victim’s father, C. Kavin Selvaganesh, lives in Arumugamangalam, 25 km from district headquarters Thoothukudi, to look after his agricultural land. His family of three — wife Tamilselvi, a teacher at Ananthamadan Pacheri near Thoothukudi and sons Kavin and Praveen — moved to Thoothukudi. After completing his SSLC from a school in Chidambara Nagar, Thoothukudi, Kavin moved to a higher secondary school on Meelavittaan Road on the outskirts of the city. Here he met his classmate Subhashini, the daughter of two police sub-inspectors.

Published – 03 Aug 2025 09:00 IST