VIRUDHUNAGAR: Six employees of the Public Works Department (PWD) were booked by the Virudhunagar Rural Police on Friday for discriminating against an assistant based on his caste for five years.
The victim, M Mariappan (48), from the Kuravar community, served in the Army for 17 years, and the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services for a year, before clearing the TNPSC Group IV exam in 2013 and joining the PWD. He now serves in the office of the assistant executive engineer.
Based on his complaint, the police booked six staff of the PWD's construction and maintenance wing - office superintendent Ilangovan, watchman Kathiresan, junior assistant Ganesh Muniyaraj, typist Rajesh, assistant Muthu Muruganantham, and divisional accountant Dharmenthira Yadhav.
"They have been discriminating against me since I was transferred to Virudhunagar in 2018. They didn’t let me drink water from the office, so I bring four litres from home every day. They also don’t let me use the staff toilet and office computer, and forced me to get a transfer," Mariappan told The New Indian Express.
He added that complaints to his superiors, including the chief and executive engineers, fell on deaf ears. "Hence, I complained to the police and National Commission for Scheduled Castes," he said.
‘Higher officials had threatened me to withdraw police plaint’
He alleged higher officials threatened to dismiss him if he didn’t withdraw the police complaint."However, I stood firm as I believe in our legal system," Mariappan explained. Before filing the FIR, the police forced him to remove a few lines from the complaint, said activist Arumugam Selvi, who is providing legal aid to Mariappan.
When contacted, PWD officials said their department has not initiated departmental action against the accused persons. While DSP B Archana, who is investigating the case, refused to comment, Virudhunagar SP M Manohar said legal action would be taken against the accused based on the outcome of the inquiry.
The six employees were booked under Sections 147, 294(b) and 506(1) of the IPC, and Sections 3 (1) (r), 3 (1) (s), 3 (1) (q), 3(1) (u), 3(1) (za) (D) and 3(2) (va) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.