"He Dreamt Of Building Us A Home": Chennai Teen's SUV Murder Sparks Outrage

A cloud of grief and unanswered questions hangs heavy over the home of 19-year-old Nithin Sai, a final-year BA English student, who was killed after a high-speed luxury SUV rammed a bike he was riding pillion on. The act, police say, was intentionally done, prompting them to file a murder case. The incident, police say, stemmed from a college rivalry over a relationship, has snowballed into a political and social flashpoint.

At his home, Nithin's parents, Muthozhi and Suresh, are inconsolable. "He dreamt of becoming an officer and building us a house," his mother told NDTV. "But now we are left only with his memories. The investigation was slow. Police initially called it just an accident. They filed a murder case only after our protests."

Nithin was allegedly killed when a group of college students, riding in a Range Rover, rammed their vehicle into his bike. The police have arrested three students, including one identified as the grandson of a DMK councillor. A fourth suspect is still missing.

The victim's friend, Badri, who was with him that day, said the group had gathered to celebrate a friend's birthday when they received an SOS from juniors about a brewing fight. "There was an argument between Venkatesh and Pranav over a girl," Badri said. "First, they hit our bikes. Stones were thrown at the Range Rover. We all sped on our bikes. The vehicle then chased Nithin and Abhi and rammed their bike. Nithin died. Abhi was injured. The real target was Venkatesh, who was on another bike."

Nithin's family alleges that two of the accused -- Chandru and Pranav -- come from politically influential families linked to the ruling DMK. "Chandru is known for rowdyism. He should not be roaming free. If they do this now, imagine in the years to come. No one should go through what I do now," said Muthozhi.

While the police have now registered a murder case, the family and friends are demanding a thorough and unbiased probe.

The DMK has pushed back against the political narrative. Senior party leader TKS Elangovan told NDTV, "These are social issues. AIADMK and BJP workers have also been involved in such incidents. But now they want to target the DMK government. This isn't about politics."