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A 19-year-old Scheduled Caste youth died on Monday, May 18, a day after he was allegedly stabbed by his girlfriend's relative at the Kovilpatti new bus stand of Thoothukudi district. Three people, including the girl’s father, have been arrested in connection with the case.
According to reports, the deceased was identified as M Sanjay from Karadikulam near Kazhugumalai in Thoothukudi district. He was working as a sculptor in Chennai. He was in a relationship with a 19-year-old woman from Ketchilapuram in Thoothukudi. She also belonged to a Scheduled Caste community.
The woman’s family had opposed their relationship and she was sent to stay with her uncle, K Marimuthu in Kovilpatti. The couple remained in contact through phone calls during this time, reports added.
On the night of Sunday, May 17, Sanjay went to the Kovilpatti bus stand with his friends to return to his workplace in Chennai.
The woman informed her family about it and they asked Sanjay to meet them there to discuss their marriage.
Subsequently, the girl along with her father K Kumar (44), uncle Marimuthu (40), and another relative R Sankaranarayanan (51), went to the bus stand.
During the interaction, an argument broke out, following which Marimuthu stabbed Sanjay with a knife. Marimuthu also sustained injuries in the altercation.
The Kovilpatti West police arrived at the scene and admitted both Sanjay and Marimuthu to the Kovilpatti Government Hospital. Sanjay was later shifted to the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment, where he died on May 18.
The Kovilpatti West police have arrested Kumar, Marimuthu, and Sankaranarayanan. Further investigation is underway.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM