A Dalit youth, S. Muruganantham of Kodaikanal, who allegedly came under attack by three caste Hindus, which has rendered him bedridden in hospital for over two months, has sought police action, medical treatment in a private hospital and due compensation.
In a petition submitted through his mother Murugammal to Inspector General of Police (South Zone) S. Murugan here on Thursday, Mr. Muruganantham said he had been bedridden at Government Rajaji Hospital ever since he sustained injuries on his spinal cord on August 21. Fearing that his limbs could be paralysed due to the severity of the assault with rods and clubs, he sought treatment in a private hospital.
Stating that the three accused – K. Sudhakaran, I. Ulaganathan and K. Bose – were yet to be arrested, Mr. Muruganantham alleged that Thandikudi police had not booked them under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015.
“It was only a clerical mistake that the Act was wrongly mentioned as an Act enacted in 2014 in the First Information Report. The Sections initially mentioned in the FIR are only based on the complaint received. Since the victim sustained grievous injuries, the Section has to be altered and for that we need the medical report. We have asked for it,” Deputy Superintendent of Police P. Chandran said.
The accused could not be arrested as they had got anticipatory bail, he clarified.
Compensation
The petition, copies of which were addressed to the Chief Secretary and the Home Secretary, also demanded due compensation for the victim.
General secretary of Makkal Viduthalai Meetpu Iyakkam R. Seenivasaraghavan called for a CB-CID probe into the incident, fearing that the police would not take appropriate action. He also sought action against the police personnel who failed to act on the complaint.
