Juvenile, 17, detained for murdering 18-year-old girl in Tirunelveli

TIRUNELVELI: Tirunelveli city police detained a juvenile in conflict with law on Monday, on charges of the alleged murder of an 18-year-old girl by slitting her throat, reportedly in response to her refusal of his proposal, citing caste differences.

Police identified the deceased girl as Santhiya, a resident of Thirupanikarisalkulam belonging to the sources, she had been employed at a fancy store near the Nellaiappar temple in Tirunelveli for the past six months. The 17-year-old boy, from a different community (Nadar), was working at a nearby jewellry shop. The two had developed a relationship, but two months ago, Santhiya ended it, citing caste disparities.

In a desperate bid to end his life, the distraught juvenile attempted suicide by jumping in front of a train on August 30. Following advice from his friends, he quit his job at the shop and relocated to work in a textile store in Chennai.

Learning about Santhiya’s marriage fixed with a relative a week ago, the juvenile returned to Tirunelveli and saw her with her fiance. Enraged by this, he contacted Santhiya’s elder sister over the phone, expressing his grievances about being deceived by her.

According to police, on Monday afternoon, aware that Santhiya would visit the godown of the fancy store to collect some materials, the juvenile waited for her inside. As she entered the godown, he allegedly attacked her with a sickle, slitting her throat, and then fled the scene. When Santhiya did not return, her colleagues conducted a search and discovered her lying in the godown, surrounded by a pool of blood.

On information, police rushed to the scene, and the victim’s body was sent to the government hospital for a postmortem examination.

Tirunelveli Town police registered a case against the juvenile under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A special team was formed and successfully apprehended the juvenile later that night.