Tamil Nadu: Deadly attack on five Dalits in Madurai, BJP demands action

Various Dalit rights activists and political parties have condemned the attack and demanded that the state government take strict action against the perpetrators.

Published on: 29 Nov 2023, 6:24 pm

Madurai (Tamil Nadu):  Two people from the Thevar community brutally attacked five people from the Scheduled Caste near Perungudi in Madurai district on Monday night. This included a seven-year-old boy, who was passing by with his grandfather, who was also attacked and injured by the duo. The Dalit community of the area is angry over this incident.

The injured, who are being treated at the Government Rajaji Hospital, have been identified as Ajithkumar, Ganapathykumar, Vijayakumar, Periyasamy and a seven-year-old boy. It is reported that Mari and Sasikumar, who belong to the Thevar community, had asked three Dalit youths about a person named A Kannan where his house was.

Both of them started abusing the three Scheduled Caste youth by calling them by their caste names and when they responded, they took out knives and started attacking them. While the three Dalits suffered injuries on their hands and shoulders, Periyasamy and his grandson were attacked when they were passing by. Periyasamy suffered injuries to his fingers, while the minor boy suffered injuries to his ankle.

Although the police have registered a case and arrested Mari and Sasikumar, the incident has once again focused attention on atrocities against Dalits in Tamil Nadu. Various Dalit rights activists and political parties have condemned the attack and demanded that the state government take strict action against the perpetrators.

Tamil Nadu BJP state president K Annamalai said the incident was shocking and sad that even a minor boy was attacked. Annamalai also alleged that atrocities and crimes against Dalits are increasing day by day after DMK came to power in the state.

Annamalai said in a statement, “No strict action is being taken against those who commit such crimes and the common people are being affected. It is unacceptable to see the DMK government turning a blind eye. Strict action should be taken to prevent such incidents in future.”