PUDUKKOTTAI: The protest by Dalit residents of Vengaivayal continued for the second day on Sunday. Villagers stated the protest will continue until the government orders a CBI investigation into the December 2022 incident.
The sit-in commenced the previous day after a CB-CID report pinned the blame on three whistleblowers for the alleged admixture of faecal matter in an overhead water tank that catered to the Dalits in the village.
The CB-CID submission to the Madras High Court which stated three persons had committed the offence due to personal motive upset the Dalit residents and they resorted to the protest.
The CB-CID police filed a final investigation report in court last Monday, accusing three youths from the same village.
K Kannadasan, a resident of the village said, “The report by CB-CID has tarnished our reputation by blaming us for the act which we didn’t commit. We feel it’s unfair to lay the blame entirely on us in a bid to close the case quickly.”
He added that, “Some audio clips circulating in the media have been manipulated to make it seem as if we are confessing to a crime we did not commit, painting us as culprits. This has only added to the burden we already bear. During the investigation, we consistently advised the youngsters not to admit to the crime which they didn’t commit, even if pressured by the police to confess. Even now, our statements regarding police coercion to accept this crime are available in the public domain.”
On Sunday, coinciding with Republic Day, the protesters intensified their demonstration by displaying black flags to mark their resistance.
The day’s protest, which began at 9 am concluded in the evening. In the meantime, police have heightened security by closely monitoring all seven entry points leading to Vengaivayal to prevent the arrival of outsiders.