Bodies of teenaged inter-caste lovers found in Mayiladuthurai district; violence erupts

Bodies of a 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl belonging to two different communities were found in a thatched shed at Sathangudi in Mayiladuthurai district on Tuesday (June 30, 2026), triggering tension in the village.

Police identified the young man as M. Parthiban who belonged to the Scheduled Caste community and resided at Pudhupalayam.  The girl was from nearby Sathangudi and belonged to the Most Backward Classes. The two were in love with each other which is said to have been opposed by the girl’s parents, according to the police.

The girl had completed class XII while Parthiban was a labourer involved in civil works. Police sources said Parthiban had lodged a complaint with the Porayar police on Monday (June 29) claiming he was assaulted based on which a case was registered under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act against the girl’s father and four others on Tuesday.

Girl goes missing, bodies found

The sources said the girl was reported missing from her house in the early hours on Tuesday. Her parents lodged a complaint with the Porayar police station and suspected the role of Parthiban. Subsequently, a ‘girl missing’ complaint was registered.

Police personnel later found the bodies of the girl along with Parthiban’s inside a thatched shed at Sathangudi.

The news spread like wildfire triggering tension at Sathangudi. Sources said Parthiban’s relatives attacked the house of the girl and one of her relatives, damaging household items and other articles upon learning of his death. One of the girl’s relative sustained injury.

Allegation of caste-killing

A team of police personnel was deployed at the village to prevent the situation from escalating. The parents of the youth suspected foul play behind the death of their son and alleged caste killing. The bodies were shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital at Tiruvarur for autopsy. 

The Superintendent of Police (in-charge), Mayiladuthurai G. Stalin inspected the spot on Tuesday and spoke to the two families separately. Sources said Mr. Stalin pacified the families and appealed to them to cooperate besides assuring that the exact cause of the deaths would be determined based on the autopsy report and necessary action would be initiated accordingly.

A senior police officer said the Porayar police had booked a case under Section 194 of the BNSS in connection with the deaths acting on a complaint from a Village Administrative Officer.

As a precautionary measure, pickets have been posted at five places at Sathangudi and in its vicinity with a team of police personnel including an Additional Superintendent of Police and a couple of Deputy Superintendents of Police deployed. Police are also probing if the two had died by suicide.

(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-2464005)