Thenkurissi Caste Killing: Evidence and testimony reaffirms caste hatred behind manslaughter

"Caste hatred is indeed the reason for the murder of Aneesh," says Haritha, wife of Aneesh who was murdered at Thenkurissi, situated at Kerala's Palakkad district. Aneesh was murdered by Haritha's father Prabhukumar and uncle Suresh on December 25, three months after the couple got married.

Haritha's family had allegedly 'warned' several times against staying with a lower caste man. Suresh, the prime accused, had threatened them several times with a knife.

Aneesh's brothers Arun Kumar and Anil Kumar revealed that the two accused had previously engaged in violence and attacked colony residents with weapons. They say the case was suppressed with power and money. They added that the two accused would not stop at anything to have their way.

The two brothers further noted that the murder was a planned execution as it wouldn't have been possible for the accused to arrive within minutes to attack Aneesh if it hadn't been for informers.

Though Aneesh's parents Arumukhan and Radha have raised allegations that Haritha's grandfather Kumareshan Pillai is the mastermind behind the manslaughter of their son, Pillai has denied all allegations. Kumareshan added that though Suresh is indeed a person of a criminal nature, he only wished for the well-being of his granddaughter and kept no caste hatred.

However, Kumareshan had called Arun, brother of Aneesh, on the day before the murder and mockingly inquired of the family's well-being.

Call records from a month ago of Haritha and Kumareshan also prove that Kumareshan had tried to coax Haritha back home. While Haritha refused to return without Aneesh, Kumareshan stressed that she leave him and return on account of her parents.

"He (Aneesh) cannot be let inside the house. Aneesh and his father want money, we could give them that. For now, you come alone. Nobody is going to harm you. Just take a bath and get inside the house," said Kumareshan.

Arumukhan also said that Haritha's family had tried to frame the family on allegations of demanding dowry. A week before the recently finished local body elections, the family had received a notice warning that a case would be filed against the father and son at Alathur Munsiff Court. "Dowry did not even cross our mind," says Arumukhan.

The police retrieved weapons used to attack Aneesh and blood stained clothes worn by the accused during the murder from the residences of the two accused. A bike was retrieved from Kumareshan Pillai's residence. Weapons were also retrieved from a canal in Koduvayoor. The accused were remanded after being presented in court.