VELLORE: Following the brutal attack on a Dalit student, who was taken out of the school and severely thrashed by a gang of dominant caste youth at Vilapakkam village near Arcot on Monday, police are on the lookout for about eight absconding accused involved in the incident.
The Dalit teen, Muthuraj (17), son of a daily wager and studying plus two in the Government higher secondary school, was forcibly taken by the gang from the school at around 5.30 pm to a play ground nearby and was beaten up with wooden clubs and iron rods.
The gang comprised 12 to 15 youth of the dominant caste in the village. Admitted to the Vellore Medical College Hospital, the boy received 13 stitches in his head.
Chinnadurai, a relative of the boy, told Express that the gang surrounded him and beat him up black and blue and hurled casteist slur. Even after he ran to the school, they thrashed him in front of the teachers, he added.
Police said, for several years minor disputes have been cropping up going between Dalits and the dominant caste in the village and it had escalated in the last four months after teenagers have started fighting with each other during festivals.
The gang comprised 12 to 15 youth of the dominant caste in the village.The gang comprised 12 to 15 youth of the dominant caste in the village.
Vijayakumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ranipet, said a group of youngsters from one group (Dalit) had an altercation and a scuffle with the dominant caste youth on Deepavali day. In retaliation, they have attacked the boy, he added.
Elaborating, he said the two communities do not have cordial relationship for long time. “All the accused are absconding. We are investigating into the complaint. Accordingly, the accused will be booked under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act if needed,” he added.