Five SCs injured in clash at Virachilai temple festival in TN
PUDUKKOTTAI: Complaining of sleepless nights since an alleged clash broke out with caste Hindus during the temple festival a few days ago, SC residents of Virachilai panchayat in the district question the delay in arresting the prime accused in the attack that left five members of the community hospitalised.
According to the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF), a clash broke out between the two communities on the last day of a festival at Sri Madhu Adaikalangatha Ambal temple, an HR&CE temple, during which, according to the FIR, caste Hindus launched a violent attack, injuring five SC people. It also said the attackers chased the ambulance in which the injured were being taken, kidnapped two of them and beat them all night. They were later taken to the Government Medical College Hospital with help from other SC villagers.
Sources said two of them have serious injuries. According to a separate complaint by caste Hindus, the SC members abused them verbally and attacked them due to which five persons were admitted to Thirumayam GH. Sources said all admitted were discharged in a day. The police said that following the two FIRs, two persons were arrested from both communities.
An SC woman in the village, which TNIE visited, said, “An ex-MLA’s son from the opposition party, who was named as main accused, has not been arrested. Our boys, P Barathi Raja(22) and Prakash R(19), were kidnapped from the ambulance and beaten by caste Hindus in a humiliating way.”
When asked about the possible reason for the conflict, members of the SC community said, “A year ago, an intercaste marriage happened between an SC boy and a caste Hindu girl from the village, who are now settled in Chennai. After that, a demand from the SC youth to take part in temple rituals as they used to do before 30 years was put forth. However, no answer was given for the past year and on June 9 the matter was taken to the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, which angered the caste Hindus.”
The Panayappatti police said that some of the accused in both cases were absconding. When contacted, DSP Abdur Rahman told TNIE, “We have employed police force in the village to avoid any untoward situation. Now there is peace in the village.”