The panchayat president, who was suspended from the DMK for abusing a Dalit youth for entering a temple, has been quietly reintegrated within the party and has landed a plum post.
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On January 30, a video of Thirumalaigiri panchayat president T. Manickam verbally abusing and threatening S. Praveenkumar for entering near the sanctum sanctorum of the village’s Periya Mariamman temple went viral on social media. Following this, the DMK high command suspended Manickam from the party post and primary membership.
On the same day, the Steel Plant police registered a case against him under various sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Indian Penal Code. The police arrested and remanded him in prison. He, however, got a bail later.
Meanwhile, in a release on Friday, DMK general secretary Duraimurugan said after Manickam expressed regret for his actions and requested that he work for the party again, the action taken against him was revoked and he was allowed to work as Salem South Union DMK secretary.