THOOTHUKUDI: A 22-year-old Dalit youth was attacked by caste Hindus for not keeping the lungi till the toes and instead folding it up while crossing a caste Hindu street at Kulasekarapattinam on Friday. Five persons have been booked in this connection.
The victim, identified as Muniandi, from Munainchipatti in Tirunelveli district, was in Kulasekarapattinam beach for Dussera celebration when he was accosted by five men - Durai, Anand, Chella, Sammukutty and Esakidurai.They took him to a secluded place and thrashed him with PVC pipes. Muniandi sustained injuries and was admitted to a hospital. Based on the complaint of Muniandi, police registered a case under the Scheduled Castes/Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Police said that caste Hindus had told Muniandi that they were waiting to teach him a lesson. They also warned him and other Dalits in the village not to fold up their lungi and to cover their entire feet while walking through the streets of Caste Hindus as a mark of respect.