A teenage Dalit student in Tamil Nadu was attacked by minors
As tensions remain high in Nanguneri, Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district, seven minor students from intermediate caste have been arrested for physically assaulting a Dalit student and his sister. The mother of the Dalit children has expressed concerns about potential retaliation from the intermediate caste class members and has requested police protection.
To address the situation, the Tirunelveli police are on high alert and have increased the presence of officers in the district. This incident is reminiscent of the violence that occurred in 2021 in South Tamil Nadu, including Madurai and Tirunelveli districts, where clashes between Dalits and intermediate caste members resulted in fatalities. These conflicts were rooted in historical grievances and rivalries between the two groups.
The mother reported to the police that the intermediate caste students used to extort money from her child and coerce him into buying food and tobacco for them. After the Dalit student’s family filed a complaint, the school authorities reprimanded the intermediate caste students. In response to this, the intermediate caste students visited the Dalit student’s home and launched a brutal attack on him. His sister, who tried to intervene, was also assaulted.
The police have taken into custody seven intermediate caste students under various legal sections, including those outlined in the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
