12, Jan 2023 | CJP Team

Citizens for Justice and peace (CJP) wrote to DGP, Tamil Nadu and SP, Villupuram raising concerns over a serious caste based crime that took place on December 23, 2022. A 19-year-old Dalit Christian boy died by suicide allegedly scared by the threats to him and his family from Vanniyar caste men, after they allegedly beat him up.

As per the residents, on December 21 as Raja and his friends were out for dinner, Raja tried to help an elderly man from Vanniyar caste to fetch some water in front of a house. However, as per Raja’s father, when the man’s son-in-law, Moorthy, opened the door and saw Raja at his doorstep, he got furious and asked how a Pariah man dared to come to his house and knock on the door. Then, Moorthy and his two friends, Mohan and Suresh, under the influence of alcohol allegedly assaulted Raja. Moorthy and others lodged a false case of bike theft on Raja to counter his complaint of assault by them.

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As per the FIR, when members of Vanniyar caste tried to reach a compromise with Raja’s family and the latter refused, they were allegedly threatened by the Vanniyar men. The Vanniyar men told him that their community had 1,000 families in Surappattu while the Dalit colony had only 40 houses and threatened to set fire to the colony.

While the FIR has been lodged as per news reports, there is no news about the arrest of the accused persons. Hence, CJP, in its letter has urged that after due inquiry, the accused be arrested and that protection is provided to the family as per section 15A of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The complaint may be read here:

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