17-year-old Dalit student attacked with sickle, liquor bottles in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: In yet another caste-related violence in Tirunelveli district, a 17-year-old student belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) was brutally assaulted with sickles and empty beer bottles by a group of youth hailing from the dominant Maravar community for allegedly confronting them over reckless driving.

The second-year polytechnic student, who is being treated at the Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, was attacked inside his home in Melapattam in Tirunelveli town on Monday evening when his parents – Chinnadurai and Suganthi – were away for work. While the father works as a mason, the mother is employed at a restaurant.

Police sources told DH that a case has been registered against several persons from Thirumalai Kozhundhu Puram village under various sections of the Prevention of Atrocities (SC/ST) Act in connection with the incident.

While four persons have been arrested, a man hunt has been launched to nab the other suspects. CCTV footage showed six people in two motorcycles coming to the village.

Maravars, Agamudaiyars, and Kallars, classified as OBCs, constitute Mukulathors, who are spread across Central and Southern parts of Tamil Nadu, making them politically significant.

The shocking incident brought back the scary memories of 17-year-old Chinnadurai (SC) being hacked by his classmates (Maravars) inside his home in Nanguneri in August 2023, prompting the Tamil Nadu government to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Justice (retired) K Chandru to suggest solutions for preventing caste violence in classrooms.

The boy, identified as Manoj Kumar, was walking towards his home on Monday afternoon when a car came dangerously close to him. He warned those inside the vehicle to drive carefully. “This led to a quarrel between the boy and the occupants of the car. Locals intervened and sorted out the issue following which the student went to his home,” a senior police official said.

Hours later, nine people barged into the polytechnic student’s home and attacked him with sickles and smashed empty beer bottles on his head, leaving him profusely bleeding.

The student’s mother, Suganthi, complained that people from SC are being subjected to discrimination every day and sought to know what was the crime of her son.

“He has several cuts in his head, and legs. And they smashed empty beer bottles on his head. Is this even a human character? There was no previous enmity and if my son can be attacked for calling out reckless driving, where is the safety and security for people like us?” she asked.

Caste-related violence has been on the rise in Tirunelveli district for the past few years with several incidents of atrocities against Dalits at the hands of dominant communities like Maravars being reported from inside and outside classrooms. Caste markers like painting colours identified with their communities on electric poles and on public walls are a fixture in almost every village in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Tenkasi districts.

A Dalit activist, who didn’t wish to be identified, blamed mushrooming of caste-based outfits which whip up caste passions for the spurt in violence based on caste. “The OBCs here are politically sound and they are further emboldened by covert support from police. We have been demanding mass transfers of police personnel in three districts as only such a move will prevent caste-related violence in the region,” he told DH.

In his report, Justice Chandru had recommended removal of caste prefix from school names, a Code of Conduct for teachers and staff of all types of schools, colleges, and universities run by the state government, keeping caste names away from attendance registers, and appointment of School Welfare Officer (SWO) and counsellors.

The committee also pushed for a Code of Discipline for all students which should be strictly enforced within legal bounds and made it clear that students should be prohibited from wearing any coloured wristbands, rings, or forehead marks.

“They must also refrain from coming to school on bicycles painted with reference to their caste or exhibiting any caste-related sentiments. Failure to comply with these rules must result in appropriate action being taken, in addition to advising their parents or guardians,” the report had said.