Vijay’s TVK Moves Supreme Court, Demands Special Legislation to Curb Honour Killings

TVK Moves Supreme Court, Seeks Separate Law to Address Honour Killings

The Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court calling for a dedicated law to tackle caste-based honour killings, arguing that existing legal provisions are insufficient to prevent such crimes.

The petition, filed by TVK general secretary for elections Aadhav Arjuna, comes months after the murder of 27-year-old Dalit software engineer Kavin Selvaganesh. On July 27, Kavin was allegedly hacked to death outside a hospital in Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli, by Surjith, the brother of the woman he was in a relationship with, who belongs to the dominant Thevar community.

Surjith’s parents, both serving as sub-inspectors in the state police, were named in the FIR and later suspended, with his father, Saravanan, also arrested.

Other parties, including Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), CPI, and CPI(M), have also urged the state government to introduce special legislation.

Activists note that Kavin’s case is not isolated. Evidence, a Dalit rights organisation in Madurai, has documented at least 80 caste-based honour killings in Tamil Nadu since 2015, with conviction rates remaining low. Campaigners say a dedicated law would enable accurate data collection, fast-track trials, witness protection, and formal recognition of honour crimes as a distinct category of violence.