Attack on Arunthathiyar youths | Dalit outfits in Erode seek protection, compensation and justice

The two Arunthathiyar young men, along with members of Dalit outfits demanded submitted a petition at the district police office in Erode on Wednesday, December 20, 2023
| Photo Credit: GOVARTHAN M

In a case related to the attack on two young men of the Arunthathiyar community in Gobichettipalayam in November, various Dalit outfits have urged the district police to provide protection to these youths besides, providing compensation and rendering justice.

On Wednesday, December 20, 2023 a team led by Vadivel Raman, president of Samuga Neethi Makkal Katchi and coordinator of Arunthathiyar Suyamariyathai Koottamaippu, along with the two young men, submitted a fact-finding report to the Superintendent of Police G. Jawahar at the district police office.

They said the two victims, a 17-year-old boy, in his first year of a diploma course, and a 23-year-old mechanic, belong to Indira Nagar, Polavakalipalayam in Gobichettipalayam taluk. The two had consumed liquor in Vengamedu at around 10.30 p.m. on November 19, 2023. While the mechanic fell on the road inebriated, the student was questioned by four unidentified persons of the village belonging to the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community.

The four men abused the two with their caste names and grabbed their two-wheeler key and a mobile phone. Since the two could not return home, they slept under the water tank through the night, according to the report.

At 7 a.m. on November 20, a group of village residents gathered at the spot and abused the two men and assaulted them. Due to previous enmity, one of the village residents said that the duo was involved in stealing hens after which 20 persons attacked the two, while one of them urinated on their faces, the report claimed. The village residents then forced them to admit that they had come there to steal hens, and videographed this coerced statement.

The police admitted the duo to the government hospital in Gobichettipalayam and a case was registered against the two. The report said, based on a representation, the police on November 24 registered a case under Sections 147, 148, 384, 323, 324 and 502 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code and under sections 3(1) r, 3(1) s and 3(2) va of the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015 against 20 persons.

The report said the two young men were assaulted only after the village residents found out that they were from the Arunthathiyar community. The report wanted all the 20 persons to be arrested and bail to be denied to them. It also stressed the necessity to file a charge-sheet at the earliest. Also, armed guards and police protection should be given to the two young men, besides compensation and government jobs, the report said.