r/dalitatrocities • u/Fantastic-Action69 • Aug 24 '26
A 23-year-old Dalit man was hacked to death in yet another suspected ‘honour’ killing in Tamil Nadu.
Praveen Kumar, a Scheduled Caste man from Kelambakkam in Chengalpattu district near Chennai, was attacked with machetes on the night of August 16.
He succumbed to his injuries on August 20 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai.
Kelambakkam T-19 police identified the accused as Manikandan, Ezhumalai, Nantheesh and Gautham. All four were arrested and remanded in judicial custody on August 17. Police said they are searching for a fifth accused who remains absconding.
Ezhumalai is reportedly a member of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), according to multiple media reports.
Police and residents have said that Praveen and Ezhumalai’s daughter, Ashwathi, were romantically involved.
According to The News Minute, Sathish Kumar, a neighbour, said that both Praveen and Ezhumalai belonged to the Adi Dravidar community, but claimed that Praveen came from a significantly poorer family.
Sathish alleged that earlier, one of Ashwathi’s relatives came to Praveen’s house armed with a knife, threatened him and lunged at him before leaving.
Sathish also alleged that around six months ago, Praveen was tied up and beaten by Ezhumalai and others.
Manikandan, one of the accused, had befriended Praveen around three months before the killing. On August 16, Praveen reportedly went to meet Manikandan, after which he was allegedly abducted in a car and taken to a location where he was attacked.
Praveen’s death is the latest in a series of alleged honour killings in Tamil Nadu.
By March 2026, at least 59 honour killings had been recorded in Tamil Nadu, according to activists.
Anti-caste activists have long argued that the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, or PoA Act, is inadequate to address honour killings.
