A 20-year-old Dalit youth was found dead near a quarry in Tamil Nadu’s Pudukkottai district, triggering serious allegations of caste-based violence from his family. However, police have said the case is being investigated as abetment to suicide, not murder.
Body Found Days After Youth Went Missing
The deceased, R Hariharan, belonged to the Paraiyar community and was a recent college graduate from Trichy. He went missing on April 21 after leaving his home in Nadupatti village.
His mother, Vijayalakshmi, said his sudden disappearance was unusual. “I called him in the afternoon, but his phone rang briefly and then got switched off. He would never do that,” she said.
Two days later, a local goat herder spotted a body near a quarry lake and alerted authorities. Police recovered the decomposed body, which was later identified as Hariharan.
Relationship at Centre of Dispute
Hariharan’s family believes his death is linked to his relationship with a 19-year-old woman from a Backward Class community. According to them, the couple had earlier tried to elope in 2025 but were brought back after police intervention.
Vijayalakshmi alleged that tensions escalated during a meeting between the families. “They abused and threatened my son on caste lines. We were warned of consequences,” she said.
She also claimed that the woman’s family later tried to separate them permanently and arranged her marriage elsewhere.
Police Call It Abetment to Suicide
Police officials, however, said preliminary findings suggest Hariharan died by suicide after learning about the woman’s impending marriage.
“Based on the investigation so far, it appears he took the extreme step after being informed about her marriage alliance,” a police official said.
The case, initially registered as a suspicious death, was later converted into abetment of suicide. The woman, her father, and her brothers have been booked under relevant sections, including provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Family Questions Investigation
Hariharan’s family has rejected the suicide theory and demanded a murder probe. They also raised concerns about alleged inconsistencies in the post-mortem report.
“Relatives who saw the body noticed multiple injuries, but the report mentions only one. We want a fair investigation,” Vijayalakshmi said.
Police, however, denied any discrepancies, stating that the post-mortem findings did not support claims of multiple injuries.
Protest and Ongoing Probe
The family initially refused to accept the body and staged a protest, demanding justice. They later agreed to perform the last rites after police assured a thorough investigation.
The case is now being handled by senior officials, and further action will depend on evidence collected during the probe.
