After a hunt for five days, police arrested Nilamalai, the main accused in the harassment of Dalit boy case in Vadugapatti near Usilampatti, at Dindigul railway station on Sunday .
Cases under various sections of the IPC, including SC/ST prevention of Atrocities Act, were booked against him. He has been remanded in judicial custody.
Earlier on Saturday, Nilamaalai’s father Pathivu Raja, the village temple priest and his younger son Agni, were held allegedly for helping the accused to evade arrest.
Nilamaalai forced the class VI Dalit boy to walk on the streets, where Caste Hindus resided, carrying the footwear on his head on June 3. Following a complaint from the boy’s mother Nagammal, police arrested the accused.
The Dalit boy and his mother, who had gone to their relative’s house fearing for their lives, returned.
Meanwhile, on Sunday morning, Usilampatti DSP K Saravanakumar organised a peace meeting at the village, in which caste Hindus gave an assurance that they would not resort to discrimination against the Dalits.
“Caste Hindus promised that they will allow us to walk wearing footwear on the streets and won’t discriminate against us,” said Karuppiya, a Dalit.
As the school is scheduled to reopen on Monday, the police have decided to deploy security near the Kallar Government High School to ensure smooth functioning of the institution.