Caste Hindus and Dalits of Periya Thadagam threatened to surrender ration cards and other photo identity cards on Tuesday, if action was not taken on their complaints.
The caste Hindus threatened to vacate the village if the police failed to act on their complaint.
The village that comes under the No. 24 Veerapandi Panchayat in Periyanaickenpalayam Panchayat Union has been tense for a week now after trouble broke out between the two communities during the Ganesh Chathurthi celebrations.
Following the clashes, the Dalits lodged a complaint with the Thudiyalur Police, who have registered a case against 17 caste Hindus invoking The SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The police went to their houses at midnight and threatened women. At a house, they asked the woman occupant to part with the car key, said R. Ramasamy, a villager.
Marudathal, wife of Nanjukutty, said that when the police knocked on her door at midnight, she thought that elephants had entered the village.
After the Dalits lodged a complaint, the caste Hindus too lodged a complaint. But the police are yet to register a case on the complaint.
Chellathal, wife of Nanjukutty, who has a plaster on her lower lip and says she was injured in the stone pelting, wants the police to act against the Dalit youths as well. If the police continued to delay action against Dalits, they will have no choice but to surrender ration card, voters identity card, and vacate the village, which has become unsafe for them.
Mr. Ramasamy said that following police search in houses on Sunday night, the women and men slept in the open, near the temple.
The Dalits, who live on both sides of the road leading to the Periya Thadagam village, accuse the police of delaying the arrest of the 17 youth named in the first information report. The police delaying action in the case makes them doubt whether they will get justice at all, said S. Nagarajan, a resident.
They told the revenue and police officials that if action was not taken against the caste Hindus who threw stones at them, they too would vacate the village.
The officials met both the Dalits and caste Hidus promised to take action after the investigation was over.
A meeting would be held involving elders in both the communities soon, the officials said. A Sub Inspector, and three Constables have been posted there now.
