By Nityaasini Sivagami
TIRUNELVELI, 03 August 2025: In a heartbreaking incident that has shaken Tamil Nadu on July 27, a 27-year-old Dalit IT professional named Kavin was brutally hacked to death in Tirunelveli. This suspected honour killing was allegedly carried out by the brother of the woman he loved, solely because of his caste. As the community grieves, the question looms: When will we understand that love is not a crime but hate is?
Everything changed around us. Governments changed, new buildings rose, old ones fell. People moved on, fashions shifted, cities grew. Yet, one agonizing truth remained the same: the persistent tragedy of caste-based killings.
Kavin belonged to the Devendra Kula Vellalar (DVC) community, a sub-caste within the Dalit category. The woman he loved hailed from the Maravar community, a dominant group. Kavin was not just a young man; he was known to be an exceptionally bright student, a university gold medalist, and a highly accomplished professional, earning over ₹2 lakhs (approximately $2,400 USD) a month. These were achievements that reflected years of dedication, discipline, and a level of excellence not easily attained.
Despite the deep bond they shared, society saw their love as unacceptable simply because they came from different castes. Even as the couple dreamed of a future together, rooted in love and mutual respect, their relationship became a target of toxic pride and caste prejudice.
According to a complaint filed by S. Tamilselvi, Kavin’s distraught mother, Surjith, the woman’s brother, took Kavin to a secluded place on his two-wheeler. He allegedly began shouting at Kavin for being in a relationship with his elder sister. “He threw chilli powder on Kavin’s face after which he started running. But Surjith chased him and hacked him to death,” Tamilselvi recounted, adding that the girl’s parents had earlier threatened her son to sever ties with their daughter.
This isn’t an isolated tragedy. Districts like Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, and Thoothukudi have seen rising instances of caste-based violence – places where young minds should be learning about unity, not division.
Kavin’s life was filled with promise. He was a hardworking professional, a devoted son, and a young man who dared to love beyond boundaries. His only ‘mistake’ was dreaming of a life where caste didn’t define his worth.
In a world moving forward, a part of us remains chained to the past. How long will we let caste decide who deserves to love, live, or die? While the world builds smart cities, we are still tragically building walls between hearts. While we speak of human rights, we are silently watching people lose their fundamental right to love, to live, to belong. Families are shattered, and futures are destroyed.
And for what? For the hollow pride of a caste that we did not choose, but were merely born into? Caste does not make anyone superior. Murder does not bring honour. And silence does not bring peace. How many more lives must be lost before we open our eyes? This is not just violence. This is a profound failure of humanity.
