A young woman from the Kallar community in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district was allegedly killed by her family for marrying a Dalit man. This incident took place on January 3.
The victim, 19-year-old Aishwarya from Neyvaviduthi in Pattukottai, had fallen in love with Naveen, a 19-year-old Dalit man from Poovaloor village, Thanjavur. Naveen belongs to the Devendra Kula Vellalar community, a Scheduled Caste, while Aishwarya hails from the Kallar (backward) community, a dominant caste and a subgroup of the politically influential Thevar community.
A senior officer familiar with the case said their love story began in their school days. Naveen, after completing a diploma in mechanical engineering, secured employment in a garments factory in Tirupur. Aishwarya, after her higher secondary education, found work in a power loom in the same town.
This story was originally published in indianexpress.com. Read the full story here .