PERAMBALUR: The special court for trial of cases under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act here on Monday sentenced four people to double life imprisonment for murdering a Dalit man when he demanded wages for milking their cows.
According to sources, S Mani (58) of Therani in Alathur taluk was engaged by villagers J Dhanapal (47), J Prabhu (a) Kundu Prabhu (44), K Palanivel (a) Kumar (48) and P Shankar (38) to milk their cows. When Mani, who hailed from an SC community, approached them seeking payment of pending wages, an angry Dhanapal on May 29, 2020, took him to his field, hurled abuses, including caste-based slurs, and attacked him with the help of Prabhu, Palanivel and Shankar. Mani’s wife and their son rescued him and admitted him to the Perambalur government hospital. While Mani was shifted to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) for further treatment, he succumbed to his injuries, sources said.
Based on a complaint by Mani’s wife, the Padalur police registered a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and arrested Dhanapal, Prabhu, Palanivel and Shankar. The four subsequently came out on bail. The case trial was under way at the special court in Perambalur.
During the hearing on Monday, Judge P Indirani pronounced the four accused guilty and sentenced each of them to double life imprisonment. The court also imposed a total fine of Rs 5.51 lakh on them. They were subsequently lodged at the Central Prison, Tiruchy.
The court also as part of the judgment recommended the Tamil Nadu government to provide a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to Mani’s family.