MADURAI: Madurai rural district police have booked six persons under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for hurling casteist slurs against a 17-year-old Dalit boy, beating him up, and making him fall at their feet over a previous enmity. Though the victim also alleged that he was urinated on in the presence of a six-year-old boy, police have refuted it.
The incident happened on Jan 16 at Sangampatti village in Usilampatti taluk in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district.
The boy told mediapersons that he had been staying in Kerala for some days after he and his family were harassed by some people in the village in Dec last year because of his caste. He had returned home recently for Pongal.
“I was lying low, but they forcibly took me to a secluded spot in the village and beat me up as they abused me because of my caste. They forced me to fall at their feet, asking me to beg for forgiveness though I did no wrong. I was also urinated on in the presence of a six-year-old boy. They threatened to kill me. I was injured and had to be hospitalised,” he said.
On Saturday, the boy, along with activists and an advocate, approached the office of Usilampatti DSP and filed a complaint.
Usilampatti town police then booked the accused under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, including charges of criminal intimidation and obscenity, and intentionally insulting/humiliating a person from SC community.
Madurai SP B K Arvind said a probe was under way and police have taken prompt action. He denied claims of the boy being urinated on, saying false news was being spread.
