‘Nellai murder is honour killing, detain accused under Goondas Act’

Kathir, executive director of NGO Evidence, said, “Nambirajan (21) was beheaded by his in-laws as he was hailing from a poor family. Though he was also from the same community, his in-laws did not want him to marry their daughter, and the murder is also an incident of honour killing. The accused in the case should be booked under Goondas Act and they should not be given bail till completion of the trial.”

The alleged murder happened on Monday night when Nambirajan, hailing from Marukalkurichi village in Tirunelveli, was taken out by one of his kin on the pretext of consuming liquor. As Nambirajan did not return home even after long, his wife, Vanmathi, went in search of him. It was then that Nambirajan’s decapitated body was reportedly found by the railway tracks near Kurukuthurai. The body was lying beheaded.

Carrying out a field visit in Marukalkurichi and interacting with Nambirajan’s family and police officials, Kathir said, “Nambirajan and Vanmathi were in love for more than two years and during their relationship, Nambirajan was beaten up on several occasions by Vanmathi’s family members. As the duo could not bear the torture anymore, both married and stayed in Tirunelveli in a rented house.”

It was then on Monday, Muthupandi, a relative of Nambirajan, called the latter out and Nambirajan, believing they would go together to consume liquor, went along. However, Nambirajan was reportedly taken to the place where Vanmathi’s brother, Chellasamy, and his kin were staying. They then allegedly murdered Nambirajan and disposed his body by the railway tracks to pass off Nambirajan’s death as a train accident.

Kathir said that with the murder being a planned one, all the accused should be booked under the Goondas Act.Nambirajan’s family should be given Rs 25 lakh as compensation, he added.