Dalits forced to fall at dominant caste people’s feet to bury kin near Erode in Tamil Nadu | Coimbatore News
ERODE: Dalits of a village near Perundurai in Erode district were forced to fall at the feet of non – dalit residents to get access to a common burial ground for their relative’s funeral on Oct 5, villagers have complained.Perundurai tahsildar C Selvakumar told TOI that he has sent a preliminary report to district collector S Kandasamy. Erode Superintendent of Police D V Kiran Shruti told TOI that, based on a complaint lodged by revenue officials, Thingalur police have registered a case against a few members of the dominant community in the village under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “Additional sections will be incorporated based on the findings of the inquiry,” she said, adding that Gobichettipalayam DSP Srinivasan has been entrusted with the investigation.The incident occurred in Perumpalli, where dalits have been using a burial ground four kms away in Thingalur panchayat since they were refused access to the common burial ground by residents from the dominant caste.After the demise of Senni (90), father of Kaliyappan, on October 5, dalits decided to take the body to the common burial ground as the one in Thingalur had run out of space. Anticipating resistance from non dalits, Senni’s family had informed the police. Police personnel too arrived at the village, along with revenue officials and village panchayat staff.However, when they were taking the body towards the common burial ground, a bunch of non dalit residents led by Rithuvarman blocked their way, saying dalits cannot be buried there, alleged dalits.Despite repeated pleas from the dalits, Rithuvarman and residents from the dominant caste refused to yield. Dalits alleged that all the while, police personnel stood as mute spectators.“In a desperate attempt to ensure a decent burial, two of us fell at the feet of the non – dalits and pleaded for permission to bury the body,’’ said M Kumar, a dalit. He alleged that no action was taken by the police to prevent the humiliation.Perundurai tahsildar said the family finally buried the body at the common ground after the intervention of officials.“We are inquiring into the allegations of some residents being forced to fall at the feet of some others,” Selvakumar said.
