Madurai
The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court has directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Human Rights and Social Justice Wing, Pudukkottai district, to conduct a probe into the death of a Scheduled Caste temple priest in Pudukkottai district.
Justice G.R. Swaminathan ordered the DSP probe. The court directed the DSP to conduct and conclude the probe as expeditiously as possible. The Pudukkottai police were directed to provide police protection to the family members of the temple priest.
The court was hearing a petition filed by K. Villayi. She said that her husband Karuppaiya was a temple priest at a Kali temple in Theeyathur in Pudukkottai district. On July 16, he was attacked by a group of Caste Hindus after he had offered ‘vibhuti’ to them in hand, she said.
She said that Murugaiah, Prabhu, Velavan, Ananthan and Kesavan had questioned her husband over offering the ‘vibhuti’ in hand instead of offering it on the archanai plate and attacked her husband as he had touched them.
A complaint was lodged with the police. But no steps were taken against the accused. The group also lodged a complaint against her husband. A peace committee meeting was also held, but ended in vain, the petitioner said.
Under these circumstances, the petitioner said that her husband went missing on August 14. He had gone out to buy betel leaves at about 8 p.m., but did not return home. On August 15, her husband was found hanging from a tree, the petitioner said.
She alleged that her husband was murdered due to caste animosity and it was not a case of suicide. She complained that there were injuries on the body of her husband. The petitioner sought a probe into the death of her husband.
