Dalit Christian teacher buried after 3-day standoff over cemetery rights

Trichy: The body of an 89-year-old retired Dalit Christian teacher was laid to rest in a common cemetery near Thuraiyur on Sunday, three days after his death, after officials brokered a settlement between rival groups locked in a dispute over burial rights.

A Raju, a retired government schoolteacher from Kottapalayam village, died of age-related ailments on July 17. His family sought to bury him in the common cemetery attached to St Mary Magdalene Church, but members of other Christian communities objected, claiming that dalit Christians should use a separate cemetery affiliated with St Sebastian’s Church.

The dispute is rooted in a long-standing row over burial rights. In 2014, Raju and four others moved the Thuraiyur civil court seeking equal access to the common cemetery for Scheduled Caste Christians. In 2024, the court ruled that the St Mary Magdalene Church cemetery is open to all Christians, irrespective of caste.

Despite the court order, opposition from non-dalit Christian groups delayed the burial, forcing Raju’s family to keep his body at home for three days. The standoff heightened tensions in the village, prompting police deployment.

Sub-collector Sushree Suvangi Khuntia, additional superintendent of police R Dhanarasu and DSP N Muthumar held marathon talks with representatives of both sides. After nearly nine hours of negotiations at the Musiri sub-collector‘s office, an agreement was reached late on Sunday, following which Raju’s body was buried in the common cemetery around 1am on Monday.

Courtesy : TOI

Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights