Barring a few incidents of stone-throwing on Thursday night in which three buses were damaged and a driver was injured, the first death anniversary of Dalit youth I. Ilavarasan, who took his life after his marriage with a caste-Hindu girl Divya had broken off, was mostly peaceful at Natham Colony in Dharmapuri district on Friday.
As per the orders of the Madras High Court, around 100 relatives and residents of Natham Colony, including the parents of Ilavarasan, were allowed, one after another, to pay homage between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Outsiders, politicians and Dalit activists were not allowed in Natham Colony, while the names of the people entering the colony were noted by the police.
Vehicles entering the district were allowed only after a thorough check on the borders and at several places on the Dharmapuri-Tirupatthur Road. Inspector-General of Police (West Zone) S. Davidson Devsirvatham and Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Salem Range) A. Amalraj camped at Dharmapuri and oversaw the security arrangements for the past two days.
Over 50 police personnel were deployed at Chellankottai, the native place of N. Divya, the girl who married Ilavarasan. Twenty policemen were posted at and around her residence.
At a kangaroo court held on November 7, 2012, Divya refused to return to the house of her parents. Following this, her father Nagarajan allegedly committed suicide, which led to mob violence targeting three Dalit localities, including Natham Colony, from where Ilavarasan hailed. After Divya told the Madras High Court that she wanted to go back to her mother, Ilavarasan allegedly committed suicide on July 4. His body was found on the rail track behind the Government Arts College at Dharmapuri.
On Friday, 10 persons, including R. Rajinikanth, State secretary, C. Sivanandam, district secretary, and K. Selvam, zonal coordinator of the Bahujan Samaj Party, were removed by the police when they tried to pay homage to Ilavarasan.
The others taken into custody were three persons who were stopped at the Thoppur checkpoint on the Salem-Dharmapuri National Highway and four activists of the Makkal Jananayaga Ilaignar Kazhagam.
Of the three buses that were attacked, one was proceeding to Coimbatore from Hosur. Sakthivel, driver of the Bangalore-Dharmapuri bus, was injured. A bus proceeding to Chennai from Dharmapuri was attacked near S. Kottavur.
Thirumavalavan cancels visitMeanwhile, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan cancelled his visit to Natham Colony.
He cut short his trip at Krishnagiri, where he garlanded the portrait of Ilavarasan at a marriage hall, amid strong police presence in the town.
