CUDDALORE: Over 18 years after the sensational double-murder of an inter-caste couple – S Murugesan and D Kannagi -- shook Tamil Nadu, a sessions court awarded death penalty to one man (brother of the victim-woman), and imposed life imprisonments on 10 others, including his father.
A retired deputy superintendent of police and an inspector too were among the lifters for their attempts to cover up the crime.
"...there is nothing honourable in 'honour' killings, and they are nothing but barbaric and brutal murders by bigoted persons with feudal minds. In our opinion, ‘honour’ killings, for whatever reason, come within the category of rarest of rare cases deserving death punishment. It is time to stamp out these barbaric, feudal practices which are a slur on our nation. This is necessary as a deterrent for such outrageous, uncivilized behaviour.
All persons who are planning to perpetrate 'honour' killings should know that the gallows await them," said special judge for SC/ST cases S Uttamarasa on Friday. In 2004, the CBI took over the case and found it to be complicated technically and procedurally, said additional director-general of police A K Viswanathan, for whom it was the first case in the CBI.
The agency booked 15 people and filed a 660-page charge sheet in the same year. Eight-one witnesses were examined and cross-examined and 36 of them turned hostile.
Chemical engineering graduate Murugesan, 25, a Dalit from Pudu Colony in Kuppanatham in Cuddalore district, and D Kannagi, 22, a Vanniyar from the same village, fell in love and secretly registered their marriage on May 5, 2003 but decided to live in their respective houses until Murugesan gets a decent job.
