On 27 June 2024, M Muthuvalavan the district secretary and the members of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) has filed a petition with District Collector KP Karthikeyan and Superintendent of Police N Silambarasan , urging swift action against those responsible for vandalizing local deity statues at a temple in Moovirunthali Salaiputhur village in Tirunelveli district.
Muthuvalavan criticized the Devarkulam police for their alleged inaction despite receiving a complaint from villagers five days earlier. According to him, Moovirunthali Salaiputhur village is home to 660 members of the SC community who have revered and worshipped statues of Karuppasamy, Sudalaimadan, and Pechiamman deities at a roadside temple for decades. However, on Saturday night, unidentified individuals vandalized the statues of Karuppasamy and Sudalaimadan, along with a statue of a dog.
The petition emphasized the community’s distress over the incident and noted that despite lodging a complaint with the Devarkulam police, no steps had been taken to apprehend the culprits.
In an interview with TNIE, Muthuvalavan highlighted that the vandalism had also exacerbated communal tensions in Manur. He alleged the involvement of individuals from a dominant caste in the act and demanded that they be prosecuted under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Additionally, he called for invoking the Goondas Act against the perpetrators to ensure stringent legal action.
(With Inputs From TNIE)
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