22-year-old Tamil Nadu student’s death staged as accident turns out to be honour killing, brother confesses

A shocking case of honour killing has emerged from Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur district, where the family of 22-year-old Vidya, a postgraduate student at a government college in Coimbatore, staged her death as an accident. The crime was exposed after her boyfriend, Venmani, raised suspicions and filed a complaint, prompting a police investigation.

Vidya was found dead at her home in Paruvai on March 30. Her family claimed that she had died after a bureau (chest of drawers) accidentally fell on her head while they were at a temple. Without informing the police, they buried her body, treating the incident as a tragic accident. However, Venmani, her college mate and boyfriend, suspected foul play and approached the police, leading to the case being reopened.

The police, along with forensic experts, exhumed Vidya’s body for an autopsy. The medical examination revealed that she had died due to blunt force trauma, contradicting her family's claims of an accidental death. With this evidence, authorities questioned Vidya’s family, and her brother, Saravanan, ultimately confessed to the murder.

Saravanan admitted to attacking Vidya with an iron rod, stating that he killed her because she was in a relationship with Venmani, who belonged to a lower caste. His confession confirmed that the murder was driven by caste-based honour killing, a deeply entrenched social issue in India.

Following the confession, Saravanan was arrested, and Vidya’s parents were detained for further questioning. The case has reignited debates over honour killings in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where caste-based violence continues to claim lives despite legal protections.

The investigation remains ongoing, with police set to file charges under sections related to murder and suppression of evidence. The incident underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of laws against honour crimes and greater societal awareness to prevent such tragedies.