COIMBATORE: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has issued a notice to the Collector K Rajamani and the City Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan seeking a detailed report within 15 days on the alleged threats issued to a Dalit farmer by a group of caste Hindus residing in a gated community in Kallimadai.
In a complaint, the 87-year-old farmer, N Palanisamy, sought the commission's intervention for the removal of a wall constructed by blocking a 60-feet scheme road which passes through the gated community - Shruthi Enclave - in the name of fencing.
The farmer alleged that ever since the wall was erected around 10 years ago, members of two families (including his) who are residing in Narayanan Thottam, adjacent to the 8-acre gated community, are forced to take a detour to get to the other side of the locality.
In the petition, the farmer also alleged that the enclave did not get an approval as a gated community during the promotion stage. "The builder of the gated community got the approval with an assurance to retain the 60-feet road unblocked to the people residing in Narayanan Thottam," Palanisamy said.
Palanisamy also alleged that the wall was constructed with an intention to ensure the Dalit families do not enter the gated community. Even as he has been fighting a court battle for the last 10 years, the farmer alleged that he was threatened by caste Hindus for pursuing the case relentlessly.
Speaking to TNIE, general secretary of a non-political farmers' association P Kandasamy said, "According to Crpc 142, the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) should interfere in any land dispute if any one of the parties violates the status quo in a case. In this case, members from the gated community have threatened the octogenarian by using goons. This has forced us to seek the NCSC's intervention into the issue."