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A 20-year-old Dalit youth was found dead near a quarry lake in Pudukkottai district, with his family alleging that he was killed because of his relationship with a young woman from a Backward Class community. The police, however, maintain that the case involves abetment to suicide, and an investigation is underway.
The deceased, R Hariharan, belonged to the Paraiyar community (classified as Scheduled Castes in the state) and was a recent graduate of a private college in Trichy. He was a resident of Nadupatti village near Thirumalairayapuram and had been missing since April 21.
According to his mother, Vijayalakshmi, Hariharan left home around 1.30 pm that day. “I called him around 3 pm, but his phone rang for a few minutes before being switched off at 3.16 pm. He would never ignore my calls or switch off his phone,” she told Times of India.
When he could not be found in his usual places, the family began searching for him.
On the evening of April 23, a goat herder spotted a body near a quarry lake and alerted authorities. Police and fire personnel recovered the body and sent it to the Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The body, found in a decomposed state, was later identified as Hariharan.
His family has expressed suspicion, linking his death to his past relationship with a 19-year-old woman from the Vishwakarma community (classified as Backward Class).
The two, who lived a few metres apart, were reportedly in a relationship and had attempted to elope in November 2025. They were later traced to Thanjavur, following which both families were called for a peace meeting at the Keeranur police station.
Vijayalakshmi alleged that during these talks, the woman’s family abused and threatened her son on caste lines. “They warned us that we would face consequences. At one point, they even refused to take their daughter back, and the police had to convince them,” she said.
According to Vellanur police, the woman was subsequently prevented from attending college, and her family began searching for a marriage alliance within their community. Vijayalakshmi further alleged that a few months later, the woman’s brother threatened Hariharan with consequences if he continued the relationship.
On April 21, the day Hariharan went missing, the woman is said to have told a neighbour that she was going to be married and asked him to convey the message to Hariharan.
Police said she later contacted Hariharan, asking him to take her away as her parents were arranging her marriage. She also reportedly reached out to one of his friends for help.
“Harirahan died by suicide after learning about her marriage alliance,” the police told TNM.
The case was initially registered as a suspicious death but was later altered to abetment of suicide on April 25.
The woman (19), her father Rajendran (50), her elder brother Shanmuga Sundaram (26), and her younger brother (17) have also been booked under Section 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Hariharan’s family has also raised concerns about discrepancies in the post-mortem findings. “Relatives who saw the body noticed injuries on his head and legs, but the report mentions only one injury,” Vijayalakshmi alleged, demanding a thorough and impartial investigation.
However, the police rejected these claims, stating that no such injuries were recorded in the post-mortem report.
The family initially refused to accept the body and staged a protest, insisting that the case be treated as murder. After police assurances that appropriate action would be taken, they accepted the body after five days and performed the last rites in their native village.
The case is currently being handled by the Pudukkottai town Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
