Honour killing: Death to 1, life sentence for 12, including DSP

CUDDALORE: Eighteen years after the honour killing of an inter-caste married couple, a trial court on Friday convicted and awarded death penalty to one person, while convicting and sentencing 12 others to life.

Of the total 15 accused in the case involving the honour killing of Murugesan and his wife Kannagi, the Cuddalore district Special Court Judge S Uthamaraja, acquitted two.

The case pertains to the killing of an inter-caste couple from Kuppanatham near Vriddhachalam in the district, allegedly by the woman’s family by setting them on fire after unsuccessfully trying to poison them, reportedly in the presence of many villagers.

Among those sentenced to life included a former Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and an Inspector of Police. The Judge also imposed a total fine of about Rs 12 lakh on the accused.

Delivering the verdict, he said the prosecution has proved the case beyond any reasonable doubt. After passing orders, the Judge observed that caste-related murders created a black mark in human society and that Kannagi’s death should be the last in the land of Tamil Nadu.

Murugesan’s relatives S Ayyasamy (61) and P Gunasekaran (59) were acquitted by the court on the ground that they were involved in the murder as they were brought to the spot forcibly.

Later in the afternoon, the Judge awarded death penalty to Kannagi’s elder brother D Maruthupandian (49) and imposed a fine of Rs 4.56 lakh. He also awarded three life sentences to her father C Duraisamy (68), brother D Rangasamy (45), relatives K Kandavelu (54), K Jothi (53), R Mani (66), R Dhanavel (49), V Anjapuli (47), K Ramdoss (52) and N Chinnadurai (50) and imposed a penalty of Rs 4.15 lakh.

The judge also sentenced to life former DSP Chellamuthu and inspector Tamilmaran and imposed a penalty of Rs 1.15 lakh. The Judge further ordered the duo give Rs 3 lakh each to Murugesan’s family.

The prosecution case was that Dalit youth S Murugesan (25) of Puthucolony near Virudachalam in Cuddalore district, fell in love with a Vanniyar girl D Kannagi (22) of the same village while studying in Annamalai University. On May 5, 2003, they got married in the Cuddalore sub registrar office without informing their parents and relatives resulting in their murder. The CBI had taken up the probe into the case following a Madras High Court order.