ARIYALUR: A 35-year-old man, who, along with 29 other members of the most backward classes, allegedly forced a person from scheduled caste community to fall on their feet and seek apology over strife between the two communities, was arrested on Monday under the SC/ST Act. Irumbilikurichi police are on the lookout for the 29 others suspected to be involved in the incident.
The arrested person was identified as S Rajesh. According to police, S Anbarasan (36), a BJP functionary from Colony street in Valarakurichi village in Sendurai block organised a ceremony after his daughter reached puberty, on July 8, and burst crackers along streets predominantly inhibited by members of most backward classes.
Knowing this, 10 people, including DMK branch secretary P Kannan (48), on July 9 called on Anbarasan and warned against organising such events on the street. On the subsequent day, Anbarasan's brother, Thirunavukarasu (32), went to the street and got into an argument with the members of the backward classes.
As tension mounted, a peace talk was held between both the parties on July 12, in which, 30 members of the most backward classes, purportedly, forced members of the scheduled caste to seek apology by falling on their feet. However, only Thirunavukarasu sought apology.
Later, based on a complaint Anbarasu filed on July 14, Irumbulikurichi police registered a case under the SC/ST Act on the 30 accused, following which, on Sunday night, S Rajesh (35), one of the accused, was nabbed. A senior police officer said, "We are probing the incident and are on the lookout for those involved."