The National Commission for Scheduled Castes, led by its Assistant Director Ramasamy, visited Vadakku Mangudi near here on Friday and interacted with the victims of violence.
The residents told the commission that ever since April 24, when polling for the Lok Sabha elections was held, the caste Hindus had attacked the colony at least thrice.
On the night of April 24, scores of houses were ransacked and six persons were admitted to hospital, and two of them died of injuries. The Dalits urged the commission to provide them a safe place to live and initiate action against those who indulged in violence. The commission assured them of action. It appreciated the timely action by the Cuddalore district police to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, the Social Awareness Society for Youths (SASY), a human rights forum, has made a representation to the commission to provide a permanent shelter to the Dalits in a place near Chidambaram, where they would feel safe and secure. Its director I. Pandiyan said 160 Dalit families were living in the midst of 600 Vanniyar families at Vadakku Mangudi.
The forum also appealed to the commission to instruct Collector S. Suresh Kumar to give the Dalits counselling to get over the fear. It also appealed to Superintendent of Police A. Radhika to arrest the perpetrators of violence under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
