The Crime Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CBCID) of Tamil Nadu has summoned Subashini, the girlfriend of murdered Dalit engineer Kavin Selvaganesh, for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation into his alleged honour killing in Palayamkottai.
Kavin, a 27-year-old software engineer from the Devendra Kula Vellalar community, was hacked to death on July 27, reportedly by Subashini’s brother Surjith. The incident is believed to be a caste-based crime, as Kavin and Subashini belonged to different communities and were in a relationship.
The case was transferred to the CBCID following widespread public outrage. Authorities have booked Surjith under the Goondas Act. He had surrendered to the police and is currently in custody. His parents, Saravanan and Krishnakumari, both sub-inspectors in the police department, were also named in the FIR. They have been suspended from duty. Saravanan has been arrested, but Krishnakumari is yet to be taken into custody.
In a video that went viral, Subashini denied that her parents were involved in the crime and said that her relationship with Kavin was based on mutual love. She claimed that her father only found out about the relationship in May, and that Kavin had requested time before they disclosed it to her family.
However, with new leads emerging, the CBCID has decided to interrogate her to better understand the timeline of events and verify her claims. The investigation aims to determine whether there was any prior knowledge or conspiracy behind the murder.
Kavin’s family initially refused to accept his body for five days, demanding the arrest of Subashini’s mother. After repeated appeals and the intervention of the Tamil Nadu State SC/ST Commission, which provided a compensation of ₹6 lakh, the family agreed to conduct the final rites.
The case has triggered widespread protests across the state, with Dalit rights groups and political leaders calling for stricter laws against honour killings. Many have also demanded that caste should not be a barrier to love and marriage in modern society.
The CBCID continues to investigate the case from all angles, and further arrests are likely as the probe progresses.