TIRUNELVELI: In a stark contrast to the rising voter turnout across Tamil Nadu, a tiny hamlet in Tirunelveli district turned the democratic festival into a silent protest as nearly the entire village boycotted the polls on Thursday.
Perumpathu, a village of 969 electors situated 25km south of Tirunelveli, saw only three people -- one man and two women -- cast their votes.
This local boycott stood in sharp relief against the overall polling trends in the district.
According to official data, the district-wide average poll percentage reached 77.69 per cent.
The boycott stems from deep-seated disillusionment following a harrowing incident in March, where a lawless gang terrorised the village with deadly weapons, leaving two dead and seven others with grievous injuries.
While the district administration and police took action following the violence, residents of the caste-atrocity-prone village dismissed the measures as a "face-saving formula" by officials.
Fed up with recurring violence, the villagers resolved to shun the electoral system entirely.
Tirunelveli District Collector and Election Officer Sukumar rushed to the village to hold conciliatory talks and persuade the residents to exercise their franchise.
However, the villagers remained stubborn against a system they feel has failed to protect them.