Members of the Paniya community, a major Scheduled Tribe community in the State, on Sunday organised a march ‘Karinthandan Smruthiyatra’ on the Thamarassery ghat section of the National Highway- 212 to commemorate the journey of Karinthandan, a tribal martyr.
The programme was organised by Wayanad-based PEEP (People Action for Educational and Economic development of tribal People).
Hundreds of Paniya tribesmen from Wayanad, Kannur, Kozhikode, and Malappuram districts participated in the march.
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According to tribal legend, Karinthandan was murdered by British engineers after he showed them the tribal people’s traditional pathway for the construction of the ghat road. Palliyara Raman ,State chairman, Vanavasi Vikasa Kendram, inaugurated the march at Adivaram in Kozhikode and concluded near the ‘chain tree’ at Lakkidi in the district.
“We organised the programme to make a collective programme among the Paniya tribe, a backward section among the Scheduled Tribes people in the State, S. Ramanunny, convener, PEEP, said.
The tribesmen urged the government to install a statue of Karinthandan near the ‘chain tree' and christen the ghat road as Karinthandan memorial ghat road.
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