PUDUKKOTTAI: A year has passed since human faeces were found inside an overhead tank that supplies water to Scheduled Caste residents of Vengaivayal in Pudukottai, yet the investigation has yielded no arrests or significant breakthroughs. The incident has left both the affected SC village and nearby caste Hindu villagers in a state of disarray.
The Vengaivayal incident, which came to light On December 26, 2022, was initially probed by the Pudukottai district police and subsequently transferred to the CB-CID in January this year. The water tank is not being used currently as it is part of the evidence for the case. Despite continuous police deployment since that day, normalcy remains elusive for the villagers.
M Kathiresan, a caste Hindu farmer from Eraiyur village, said, “Our only demand is that whoever it is, they should be arrested and brought to justice. Despite investigations by the police, CB-CID, and a commission, led by retired judge M Sathyanarayanan, appointed by the Madras High Court, no one could find anything. We suspect the government is impeding the investigation results.”
“All we do is speculate and nothing more. We need a normal life,” he said, adding caste divisions have deepened in the village since the incident. Murugan KR, an auto driver from the Vengaivayal village, emphasised the plight of the victims, saying, “The culprits should be caught, but we suspect whether the government has any intention to do it. The investigation is going on the wrong pathway. Our drinking water was polluted, yet we were treated as suspects. We are victims here. Casteism persists.”
MLA Chinnadurai M, who represents the constituency, urged the government to expedite the investigation. “The government has intervened positively. But we urge the government to find those involved soon. People are hurt.” In an interaction with TNIE, CB-CID DSP D Palpandi explained the delay in nabbing the culprits, citing a lack of material witnesses.
The agency has utilised scientific methods, including DNA tests on 31 individuals and voice tests on two. Requests for polygraph tests for 10 persons are pending. As the New Year approaches, the residents of Vengaivayal anxiously await answers. A delayed investigation is indeed discrimination by itself, a resident noted.
Brief timeline of Vengaivayal case
December 26: Human faeces found in water tank supplying water to SC people in Vengaivayal.
February 8: National Commission for Scheduled Castes seeks action taken report from district collector and SP Vandita Pandey.
March 29: Madras High Court appoints a one-man commission led by its retired judge M Sathyanarayanan to probe the incident.
July 8: SC residents of Vengaivayal take DNA test as per special court order.
November 25: The court issues summons to 10 people, five from the SC community in Vengaivayal and five caste Hindus from Muttukkadu for a polygraph test. But SC members express reservations about the test’s efficacy; court seeks a detailed explanation on the test from the CB-CID.
December 5,8,21: CB-CID team fails to appear in court, cites Chennai flood and the Investigation officer’s medical leave.