CUDDALORE: Police presence has been beefed up in two neighbouring villages near Panruti after a quarrel over playing volleyball spiralled into a caste clash on Friday. Sources said a group of boys from a caste-Hindu community in M Kuchipalayam village were playing volleyball when two boys from the Dalit community in Melkavarapattu village approached them and requested to include them in the game.
As the caste-Hindu boys refused to include the duo in the game, an argument broke out between the two groups. The locals, however, intervened immediately to broker peace, and sent the Dalit boys away from the spot.
The two Dalit boys, however, went to their village, assembled around 40 people and came back to M Kuchipalayam. Subsequently, a violent clash occurred in the village in which four caste Hindu men - Dhayalan, Bhuvaneshwaran, Ragupathi, Ramalingam- were injured. Houses and vehicles were also damaged in the clash, said a police official.
The Panruti police have registered a case and have taken men from both the communities into custody.
A heavy police force has been deployed in the two villages to prevent escalation of violence.
Knowing about the incident, PMK secretary Dharmalingam and Lok Sabha candidate R Govindasamy declared a protest May 9. The duo also visited M Kuchipalayam and spoke to villagers.
PMK condemns alleged attack on caste Hindus in Cuddalore district
Chennai: PMK founder S Ramadoss on Friday condemned the alleged attack on Vanniyar habitations inKuchipalayam near Panrutti by Dalits. In a statement, he said, “A section of Dalits carried out an attack on Vanniyar community habitations and the people at Kuchippalayam on Friday morning. Two Dalit youth of the Melkavarappattu colony, intentionally picked up a quarrel with youth belonging to the Vanniyar community.” He urged, “Authorities should rush to the spot and conduct inquiries.
And the government should take steps to offer compensation for damaged goods, and take steps of giving treatment for the injured persons. The accused who instigated the attack, should be arrested.” He demanded that the DMK and its alliance parties should visit the area and meet the people. And they should openly disclose the details of who orchestrated the attack and why.