Dalits from Keezhapatti village in Nadumuthalaikulam panchayat petitioned the District Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Monday demanding a path for the cremation ground used by the community in the village.
P. Ganesan, a resident, said that the roughly 50 Dalit families in the village were using a separate cremation-cum-burial ground outside the village while the caste Hindus used a different area.
“We were using a path traditionally but the owner of a particular section of the path has now blocked it and started farming,” he said.
Trouble from landowner
P. Ramar, another resident, said that whenever there was a death, they had to face trouble from the land owner for accessing the path.
The petitioners alleged that they had submitted petitions to the Village Administrative Officer but no remedy was provided.
“This is the only path available to the cremation ground. The officials should either provide us access rights to the path or find us another place for cremation and burial,” Mr. Ganesan said.
“The officials should either provide us access right to the path or find us another place for cremation and burial.”
