Six persons belonging to the dominant Kallar community of Ambalapattu village in Thanjavur district have been arrested for a brutal attack on a nearby Dalit hamlet on the New Year’s eve.
The flare-up left several Dalits injured and around a dozen of their tenements and motorcycles damaged. Cases have been registered against 16 persons and a search is on for 10 other accused, Superintendent of Police T. Senthil Kumar said.
On New Year’s eve, when people from the Dalit settlement were celebrating, some Caste Hindus reportedly vandalised the celebratory arches, besides threatening the revellers with dire consequences. An hour or so later, the attackers returned, this time with a strong mob and ransacked the arrangements for the celebrations, and damaged houses and two-wheelers. Some Dalit women were harassed, according to some accounts.
Condemning the attack on the Dalits, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Thanjavur district Committee, urged the district administration and the police to bring to book all the accused. Besides seeking justice for the victims, the CPI (M) sought protection for Dalits.
While Mr. Senthil Kumar had conducted spot inquiries on Monday itself, Collector A. Annadurai visited the affected areas and assured the victims of legal action.
