Madurai has emerged as the leading district in Tamil Nadu for caste-related atrocities, ranking first among the top 10 districts where such incidents are most common, according to the Police Social Justice Human Rights Division. Of the 394 villages across Tamil Nadu identified as prone to caste-based violence, 171 are located in the southern districts.
A report by the Police Social Justice Human Rights Wing, updated until March this year, highlights that 394 villages in Tamil Nadu are vulnerable to caste-related atrocities.
Madurai tops the list with 45 villages, followed by Tirunelveli with 29 villages, Trichy with 24, Thanjavur with 22, and Theni with 20. Despite holding 335 awareness meetings in the affected districts, especially in Madurai, efforts to curb caste atrocities have not been fully successful.
Karthik, a social activist from Madurai, who accessed the data through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, told reporters that last year saw more awareness meetings than in the previous three years. However, he noted that transforming these villages into socially harmonious communities remains a significant challenge.
To address this issue, Karthik suggested that the Adi Dravidian Tribal Welfare Department, the Police Social Justice Human Rights Division, and the Social Welfare Department collaborate to conduct awareness campaigns in more villages where caste atrocities are prevalent. He also recommended creating ‘role model’ villages that promote reconciliation and offering incentives to encourage peaceful coexistence in the identified 394 villages.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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