Dalit youth's death: Madras HC orders protection for girl, family

Chennai: The Madras High Court today ordered that adequete protection be given to the family of Divya, who married Ilavarasan, a Dalit boy whose body was found along a railway track at Dharmapuri yesterday. The marriage of Ilavarasan to Divya, a caste Hindu girl, had triggered anti-Dalit violence in three villages of Dharmapuri in November last. His body was found along the railway track a day after the girl said she would never go back to him. A division bench comprising Justice M Jaichandren and Justice M M Surderesh also suggested the counsel to ascertain whether Divya is willing to undergo counselling at Chennai. A petition was filed by S Jimraj Milton, Chennai Branch Secretary of Human Rights Protection Centre, this morning seeking a direction to the state government to hand over to CBI the investigation into the death and to give sufficient protection to the family of Divya. [caption id=“attachment_933809” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  The youth was found dead by railway tracks yesterday. Firstpost[/caption] Vaigai, counsel for Milton, submitted that from 2010 as many as 1789 honour killings have taken place and the same should not be continued. She said Divya has alredy lost her close relatives, including her father and husband. She may be blamed by the society for the happenings and she should not go to the extent of taking undesirable decisions and prayed with the bench to give full protection to Divya’s family and order a CBI probe into the death of Ilavaraasan. The bench orderd a respectable officer be deputed to ascertain the measures to be taken to provide sufficient security to the girl and her family members and for counselling for her, if necessary. [embedalsosee] The state government should file a report in this regard on Monday, the bench said, directing the DGP to provide protection to Divya and her family, if not already provided. The police officer appointed by the DGP for providing protection should also accompany with psychatrist while going to meet Divya and posted the matter to Monday. PTI