Tamil Nadu honour killing: Five accused sent to 15-day judicial custody

Coimbatore: Five persons, arrested in connection with the brutal murder of a Dalit man in front of his upper-caste wife in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur district, were remanded to 15-day judicial custody on Wednesday.

The five — Manikandan, Jagadeeshwaran, Madan alias Michael, Selvakumar and Manikandan — were produced before the Udumalpet Judicial Magistrate R Srividhya, who ordered that they be remanded in judicial custody for 15 days.

Read: Newly-wed couple attacked in public in Tamil Nadu, Dalit husband killed

They were charged under various sections of IPC including 302 (murder), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapons) and also under the stringent provisions of SC/SC (Prevention of Atrocities Act).

Police produced the weapons and vehicles allegedly used in the brutal act. They would be lodged in the Central Jail here, police said.

Shankar (22) and Kausalya (19), whose inter-caste marriage was opposed by their families, were attacked by a gang, who came on a motorcycle, with sickles in full public view on Sunday in nearby Tirupur district, resulting in the death of the husband.

Kausalya is undergoing treatment at the Government hospital here under police protection.

Kausalya's father, Chinnasamy had already surrendered before the police.

Read: Tamil Nadu honour killing: Father-in-law of Dalit man surrenders

The couple, married eight months ago despite opposition from their families, were waiting at the Udumalpet bus stand when they were attacked.

Read: Tamil Nadu: Police bury Dalit youth’s body late Monday night

Members of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes will meet parents of Shanakar at Kumaralingam, the native of the youth and also Kausalya in the hospital here, police said.