The Kayathar police have registered case against seven persons, all belonging to an intermediate caste, for allegedly forcing a shepherd from Scheduled Caste to prostrate at the feet of one of them after the lamb of the victim accidentally got mixed up with their herd.
In his complaint, A. Paulraj, 60, from Olaikulam in Kayathar taluk, said he had taken his 90 sheep and 10 goats for grazing inside the now dry Thirumangalakurichikulam tank last Thursday (October 8). S. Sivasangu, an intermediate caste Hindu from the same village, had also taken his sheep and the goat inside the waterbody for grazing.
When a lamb of Paulraj entered the herd of Sivasangu, the former tried to take the lamb back to his herd. “Agitated over this, Sivasangu, after verbally abusing me by referring my caste, tried to attack me with a club,” he said. Later Sivasangu went to the village and mobilised his relatives S. Periyamari, S. Veeraiya, P. Mahendran, S. Maharajan, S. Sangilipandi and S. Udaiyammal, “who assaulted me and threatened that they would kill me,” said Paulraj in his complaint submitted to Superintendent of Police S. Jayakumar.
The victim also alleged that they forced him prostrate at the feet of Sivasangu many times as a mark of apologising to him even as Mahendran and Maharajan were allegedly recording it with their mobile phones. “Since they posted this video on social media, I felt humiliated and submit this complaint seeking stern action against all the accused involved in this crime under the SC / ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” said Paulraj.
The complaint was referred to the Kayathar police station. A case was registered against Sivasangu and others on Monday under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 294(b) (uttering obscenities in public), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation) of The Indian Penal Code, read with sections 3(i)(r), 3(i)(s) and 3(2)(v)a of The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, read with 66 of IT Act.
Refuting this, a relative of the accused, who did not want to be quoted, claimed the problem started after Paulraj beat Sivasangu with a stick when the latter abused him verbally for allowing his lamb to enter into his herd.
