PUDUKKOTTAI: Two special police teams are on the lookout for four caste Hindus who allegedly abused and assaulted a youth of TV fame and his friend while returning from purchasing firecrackers on Deepavali night.
Prakash S (27) of Ayippatti in Karambakkudi taluk, who attained fame after participating in a singing reality show in 2019, along with friend Kabilan (25) was on November 12 riding back to the village after purchasing crackers when a group of four members from a dominant community trailed them at Moludaiyanpatti four-junction road and hurled casteist slurs at them.
When Prakash, who hailed from the SC community, confronted them, the group hit him and Kabilan with liquor bottles, sources said. In the attack, Prakash sustained injuries to the head and the forearm, while Kabilan was injured on the head. Relatives of the injured persons admitted them to Pudukkottai Government Medical College Hospital.
The next day, the Malaiyur police registered a case against Deva R of Athiranviduthi and three others in connection with the alleged assault. DSP Deepak Rajini said all the accused remained unreachable on their phone and that they were on the run.
Prakash attributed “caste pride and caste arrogance” for the alleged attack. While mentioning no past enmity between the accused and him, Prakash told TNIE, “Such caste abuse and harassment from them against SC members of my village, however, is regular. This time I was the target. They must be arrested soon,” he told TNIE.