HC notice to TN govt in Dalit boys' murder case

The Madras High Court today issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government on a PIL filed by Puthiya Tamizhagam party leader K Krishnaswamy, seeking transfer of a murder probe oftwo Dalit boys in Tirunelveli to the CBI.
The division bench comprising justices S Manikumar and C T Selvam, ordered notice to the Home Secretary and Director General of Police, among others, returnable within two weeks.
The petitioner submitted that Mariselvam and Murugan, both aged 15, had gone missing on February 1,2015 and were found dead near Pavoorchattiram village on February 5.
Mariselvam's mother had lodged a police complaint, but the Sub-Inspector refused to take it. Subsequently, the Inspector registered a murder case, but there was no progress in the probe, Krishnaswamy alleged.

The petitioner pointed out that already a case seeking transfer of murder cases of 12 Dalits in Tuticorin and Tirunelveli districts was pending in the court.
He alleged that police had not conducted an impartial investigation, which would have led to the arrest of the culprits.
Neither were incoming and outgoing calls of one of the murdered boys examined, nor the post-mortem videographed by the Investigating Officer, the petitioner alleged.
Krishnaswamy also sought relief for the families of the two boys by providing compensation to them as per the SC/ST (prevention of atrocities) Act within the time limit.