Activists Urge Law Against ‘Honour’ Killings After SC Man’s Murder in Tirunelveli

Quick Summary

• Incident: Kavin Selvaganesh, a 27-year-old Scheduled Caste (SC) man from Tamil Nadu, was murdered on July 27, 2025, allegedly in a case of ‘honour’ killing.
• Cause: Kavin expressed interest in marrying his long-time partner.Her brother, Surjith (23), allegedly assaulted and killed him at KTC Nagar in Tirunelveli.
• Police Action: A murder case has been filed against the accused under sections of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Prevention of Atrocities Act and other relevant laws.
• Victim Profile: kavin was described as a brilliant student excelling in mathematics and science. He completed engineering with his brother Praveen; both were employed in top tech firms in Chennai.
• Contextual Data: Activists report that Tamil Nadu had more than 65 documented ‘honour’ killings since 2017. The governmentS official records note only three cases from 2015-2021.
• Activist Statement: A. Kathir from Evidence NGO called for an exclusive law to prevent such crimes and demanded protection for the victim’s family along with a transfer of this case to the CBI.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The tragic incident involving Kavin underscores ongoing challenges related to caste-based violence and societal opposition to inter-caste relationships despite legal protections under India’s constitution. While laws like the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act exist to deter such crimes,activists argue that gaps remain between legal frameworks and enforcement due to social stigma and systemic bias.Tamil Nadu’s relatively high frequency of alleged ‘honour’ killings raises questions about awareness campaigns addressing caste discrimination.The disparity between government data (three cases) versus activist-reported numbers (65 since 2017) indicates potential underreporting or classification discrepancies that merit inquiry.

Demanding protective measures for victims’ families is reasonable given concerns about influence stemming from familial political ties or law enforcement affiliations-such as those seen here with parents working as Sub-Inspectors-which can inhibit justice delivery.

Calls for an exclusive law targeting ‘honour’ killings reflect frustration over recurring incidents but must account for whether existing provisions can be better implemented rather than introducing overlapping legislation without significant change on-ground.

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