Feature Image Courtesy: Puthiyathalaimurai
Six individuals have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the assault, humiliation, and public humiliation of two Scheduled Caste youths from the district, according to police reports on Thursday (2 November 2020). Several political parties have decried the heinous acts committed against the SC youths and have called for concrete measures to prevent such crimes in the future. The six suspects, identified as M Ponmani, S Nallamuthu, R Ayiram, B Ramar, M Siva, and Lakshmanan, all aged between 21 and 25, were reportedly under the influence of alcohol when they confronted the youths and demanded that they disclose their caste identity.
According to VCK State Youth Secretary Sangathamizhan, the two victims – Manojkumar and Mariyappan reportedly belong to the Devendrakula Vellalar caste. The perpetrators of the heinous act allegedly belong to the Maravar community.
என்று தணியும் இந்த சாதி வெறி?
*************************************திருநெல்வேலி மாநகர பகுதியிலுள்ள மணிமூர்த்தீஸ்வரம் பகுதியில் வசித்து வரும் இரண்டு பட்டியலின தேவேந்திரகுல வேளாளர் சமூக இளைஞர்கள்
1.மனோஜ்குமார். 2.மாரியப்பன்.
ஆகியோர்கள் தாமிரபரணி ஆற்றில் குளிக்கச் சென்ற… pic.twitter.com/0kydt6JmHi
— Sangathamizhan (@sangathamizhanM) November 2, 2023
Upon revealing their Scheduled Caste identity, the gang of six physically assaulted, stripped, and subjected them to public humiliation. The victims, two Dalit youths, were returning home after a bath in the Thamirabarani River when the brutal incident occurred, as reported by Thachanallur police. The police have filed charges against the six accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and also under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
According to the victims, currently receiving medical treatment at the Tirunelveli Medical College hospital, the assailants also robbed them of two mobile phones, silver jewelry, and extorted ₹5,000 from them. “They appeared to be under the influence of ganja (cannabis). They approached us and inquired about our caste and place of origin while we were preparing to ride our motorcycle after bathing in the river on Monday. As soon as we responded, they began attacking us with sticks and knives,” recounted the victims. To secure their release, one of the victims had to arrange for ₹5,000 to be digitally transferred to the assailants. Once the money was deposited, the perpetrators took the victim’s motorcycle to withdraw funds from a nearby ATM. However, two of them fled upon spotting patrolling police, and the victims seized the opportunity to escape.
Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan condemned the incident targeting the DMK government for its “pseudo social justice”.
In a social media post, the BJP Minister said “I strongly condemn the injustice of the perverts who assaulted 2 marginalized (scheduled caste) youths who went to bathe in the river bed in Manimoortheeswaram area of Tirunelveli district on the 30th of October and assaulted them on the basis of their caste, stripped them naked and urinated on them. This government should register a case against such criminals under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and give them severe punishment. How many more atrocities are we going to see in the pseudo Dravidian model regime? It has been more than 300 days in Pudukottai and we don’t know who mixed human waste in water. In Nanguneri of the same Tirunelveli district, a school student’s house was invaded and a caste-based happened. If the fake Dravidian model government, which pretends to be a social justice regime, had taken action in the brutality of Vengaivayal incident, would such an event have happened?”
திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டம், மணிமூர்த்தீஸ்வரம் பகுதியில் உள்ள ஆற்றுப்படுக்கையில் கடந்த மாதம் 30 ஆம் தேதி குளிக்கச் சென்ற விளிம்புநிலை (பட்டியலின) இளைஞர்கள் 2 நபர்களை சாதியை கேட்டு தாக்கியும், அவர்களை நிர்வாணப்படுத்தி, அவர்கள் மீது சிறுநீர் கழித்தும் கொடுமை செய்த வக்கிரம்… pic.twitter.com/j7lhhNaNNE
— Dr.L.Murugan (@Murugan_MoS) November 2, 2023
Condemning this “heinous act,” AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami asserted that the incident highlights the growing prevalence of caste-based atrocities since the DMK came to power. He demanded that law enforcement take stringent action against those involved and urged the government to provide appropriate compensation to the affected SC youths.
CPI state secretary R Mutharasan expressed strong condemnation for the attack on the SC youth, emphasizing that such human rights violations are unacceptable in a civilized society. He called for concrete, politically determined, and socially concerned actions to prevent such incidents from recurring and urged a thorough investigation and just punishment for the wrongdoers.
Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S Ramadoss called for strict action against the culprits, while TNCC legislature party leader K Selvaperunthagai similarly condemned the incident.
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