Six caste Hindus booked as Dalit teen assaulted, force him to prostrate before them in Usilampatti.

The teenager was taken to another place, where a group of people from the dominant caste allegedly hurled casteist slurs at him and physically attacked him.
MADURAI: The Usilampatti town police on Saturday booked six caste Hindus on charges of forcing an SC teenager to prostrate before them on January 16.
They were booked under sections 296 (b) and 351 (2) of BNS and 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
While sources said the victim was 17 years old, the police claimed he was aged 19. The age of the suspects also could not be ascertained.
The teenager from Sankampatti in Usilampatti mentioned in his complaint that the six caste Hindus took offence to him walking with his dhoti folded up to his knees in the village during Purattasi festival a few months ago. An argument broke out between them and both parties also physically attacked each other.
Following this incident, the teenager decided to stay outside the village and returned only during the Pongal holidays. However, the caste Hindus allegedly abducted him on January 16. He was taken to another place, where a group of people from the dominant caste allegedly hurled casteist slurs at him and physically attacked him.
The complainant said he was forced to prostrate before each of the caste Hindu persons assembled there, including a six-year-old boy. He was further threatened and then allowed to leave.
The Neelam Culture Centre on their ‘X’ handle condemned the police department for booking a case only on January 18 despite the complaint being lodged on January 16 and mentioned that the caste Hindus had also urinated on the Dalit teenager.
Advocate Deviammal, a relative of the victim, concurred that the suspects had urinated on the victim and they decided to release him only when they learnt that the police were alerted about the incident. The complainant received treatment at the government hospital in Usilampatti. He is only 17 years old, she added.
Urination claim refuted
In a press statement, the police department said the case was registered based on the teenager’s complaint. They, however, refuted the charge that the suspects urinated on the boy. Further investigation is under way.
Courtesy: The New Indian Express
Note: This news is originally published on thenewindianexpress.com and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially for human rights.