Inquiry commission to probe Dalit youth's death in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Monday announced that an inquiry commission had been set up to probe the cause of the death of 19-year-old E. Ilavarasan of Dharmapuri district, whose marriage last August to Divya, a Vanniayar (Kshatriya) resulted in caste violence in three villages of the district.

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said: "In order know the real cause of Ilavarasan's death, an inquiry commission headed by retired judge S.R. Singaravelu has been ordered to be constituted."

She said the commission was constituted as Ilavarasan's father disputed police claims that it was a case of suicide. There were also divergent reasons offered for the death from the media, social activists and others.

Ilavarasan was found dead near a railway track in Dharmapuri district, around 380 km from here, July 4.

Divya's father committed suicide after bearing the brunt of taunts from fellow-residents of Sellamkottai village.

Appearing before a division bench of the Madras High Court Wednesday in a case, Divya told the court that her mother was lonely and she would live with her. She told reporters that her relationship with Illavarasan was over.

The next day, Ilavarasan, who had been missing for a few days, was found dead near the railway tracks. The police suspected it was a case of suicide.

The post-mortem examination report said the cause of death was a head injury.