The Chengalpattu District Court, on Wednesday, June 26, granted bail to Stephen Kumar (24) and Vishnu (23), two of the five accused in the Pallikaranai caste killing case. Previously, on June 15, the court granted bail to two other accused – Sriram (18) and Jothi Lingam (25).

Praveen, a 22-year-old Dalit man from the Paraiyar caste, was killed on February 24 for marrying Sharmila, who belongs to the Yadava caste (classified as Other Backward Class). Sharmila’s brother Dinesh (24) and four others, Sriram (18), Vishnu (23), Jothi Lingam (25), and Stephen Kumar (24), were accused of murdering Praveen. 

Dinesh, who is the main accused or A1, has applied for bail for the third time. The district court had previously denied bail to Dinesh after noting that he is directly related to Sharmila, who died by suicide on April 22 following Praveen’s murder. The family of Praveen had alleged that Sharmila died by suicide due to the police’s alleged bias in probing the murder.

Dinesh’s bail plea will be heard on Thursday, June 27.

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