Aneesh married Haritha three months ago and there were allegedly threats to her life after that.
In an alleged caste murder, 27-year-old Aneesh, who married three months ago, was allegedly murdered by relatives of his wife in Palakkad on Friday night. The police have arrested the slain man’s father-in-law, Prabhu Kumar de Kuzhalmannam, and his wife’s uncle, Suresh. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in sections 302 (Murder) and 34 (Criminal act committed by several people) at the Kuzhalmannam police station.
Aneesh, a painter, married Haritha three months ago. Apparently there were threats to her life after the wedding. According to the police, Aneesh belongs to the Kollan community, which belongs to the Other Backward Classes (OBC), while Haritha belongs to a dominant caste.
Asianet news reports that Aneesh was from Thenkurissi, a village in Palakkad. His father-in-law Prabhu Kumar was reportedly captured at a relative’s home in Coimbatore, where he had eloped. Suresh was captured on Friday.
An officer from the Kuzhalmannam police station said the bride’s father and uncle are suspected of being the assailants. Aneesh was assaulted while riding a bicycle and was attacked. The arrests were made on the basis of statements by Arun, Aneesh’s brother, who was on the bicycle with him when the attack occurred.
Arun told Asianet News that both Prabhu Kumar and Suresh killed Aneesh along with a machete and a staff. Arun reportedly said that Aneesh was beaten with the stick while riding the bicycle and then killed with the machete. He also said that the assailants arrived by motorcycle. The attack occurred in Manam Kalabam.
Aneesh passed away on the way to the hospital.
In 2018, Kevin P. Joseph, a Dalit Christian, was kidnapped and allegedly killed by the family of his wife Neenu in Kottayam, hours after the young couple registered their marriage. In November of that year, a court in Kottayam observed that it was an honor killing case. In August 2019, 10 people, including Neenu’s brother, Shanu Chacko, were found guilty of the murder, while Chacko, Neenu’s father, was acquitted.
Read: ‘Kevin’s case shows that caste is a reality in Kerala’: activists welcome court ruling
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