Hindu police join Hindus in Tamil Nadu to attack Tuticorin Dalits
The following are details of the Sankaralingapuram police excesses on Dalits:-Sankaralingapuram and Challisettipatti villages belong to the Sankaralingapuram panchayat in Vilathikulam taluk of Tuticorin dt., TN. There are about 220 Naidu families, 200 Paraiyar families, 30 Sakkaliyar families, 50 Thevar families, 8 Vanniyar families, 5 Pillai families and 5 Pulavar families living in the village. There are 60 Chettiyar families, 30 Nadar families and 6 Paraiyar families living in Challįsettipatti. The main occupation is agriculture. The Sankaralingapuram panchayat is a general constituency.
Naidu monopoly: Only Naidus used to get elected as panchayat presidents. Nothing had been done for improving the conditions of Dalits. Not even basic amenities. Elections for the Sankaralingapuram panchayat were fixed for Oct. 18, 2001. Dalits too wanted to contest this election and approached one Vijayan of Challisettipatti of the Makkal Desam Katchi. The Naidus nominated Balakrishnan.
This was the first time a Dalit was contesting elections in a general constituency for panchayat elections.
This infunated the Naidus, Chettiyars and even some Dalits supported the Naidus. So also the Thevars. Others were neutral.
A day prior to the elections (Oct. 18, 2001) Vijayan’s brother-in-law Ponraj and one Raju were attacked by the Naidus. Balakrishnan was arrested in this connection.
When a Dalit went to cast his vote on the polling day, the Naidus prevented him from voting and pushed him away. Vijayan visited the booth and questioned the Naidus who insulted him by calling his caste name. This lead to heated arguments and the Naidus caught hold of Vijayan’s shirt and pushed him away. Dalits went to the booth to protest the Naidu action. But the Naidus attacked the Dalits.
The Villathikulam DSP and also the Tahsildar came and settled the matters. The Naidu candidate won the election. Thereafter, the Naidus and Chettiyars went on insulting the Dalits. The police were silent. On Oct. 15, there was a quarrel between Ponraj and one Jyothi Basu. Dalit women were attacked by Chettiyars.
The upper caste atrocities and the police silence infuriated the Sankaralingapuram Dalits.
About 400 Dalits of Sankaralingapuram blocked the Padur-Villathikulam road at Sankaralingapuram on Nov. 16. The police resorted to lathi charge. The police caught a 19-year old Dalit boy (Manickam), who was badly beaten. This led to a free for all between the police and Dalits. And the situation went out of control.
A police battalion immediately rushed to the village and attacked the Dalits. The sudden attack of the police forced the Dalits to flee. The police damaged all the properties belonging to Dalits and conducted raids in the nearby villages, several women and men were arrested and beaten. In all, 66 women with their children and 52 men were arrested. They were released on bail after 76 days.
On Nov.21 a fact-finding team of People’s Watch-Tamilnadu led by Henri Tiphagne went to the village of Sankaralingapuram and Challichettipetti. But it was not allowed to enter the village.
The efforts of even Ms. Kannagi Packianathan, IAS, the director of the National SC/ST Commission from Madras, Ms. Sivakami, IAS, secretary Adi Dravida and Tribal Welfare, failed. The DPI president Tirumavalavan, MLA, entered the village after 17 days. The Suptd. of Police, the DIG and the District Collector have all connived in this atrocities against Dalit.
A public hearing was conducted on March 16-17, 2002 at Tuticorin.
The Editor of Dalit Voice, V.T. Rajshekar, was a member of the 3-man jury at the public hearing but could not attend.
