TN: Disabled Dalit man, Odisha migrant worker killed in caste attack; accused linked to previous caste violence
Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly M. Appavu comforts the family of the injured at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital on March 3, 2026 A horrific incident of alleged caste violence has been reported from Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, where a disabled Dalit man and a migrant worker from Odisha were killed in a brutal attack in Perumpaththu village. It has also emerged that two of the accused had previously been charged in another caste attack a few years ago, though their identities were withheld then under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. According to reports, on March 2, seven men armed with sickles carried out an indiscriminate attack in Perumpaththu village, near Nanguneri. The assault left two people dead, a disabled Dalit man and a migrant labourer from Odisha, while six others, including members of an Other Backward Class (OBC) community, sustained injuries. Police have arrested seven accused, identified as Kannan (21), Vasantha Kumar (21), Anthony Michel (18), Uchimahali alias Mittai (20), Raja alias Esakkiraja (19), Subbaia alias Subash (19), and Kalyani (19). While police initially did not confirm the motive behind the attack, reports now indicate that the assault was allegedly planned by a group of young men from dominant intermediate castes to intimidate and silence Dalit youth in the area. One of the accused is reportedly the nephew of R. S. Sudalaikannu, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) union secretary of Nanguneri. However, Sudalaikannu has stated that he has had no contact with his nephew for the past five years. The region had only recently begun recovering from another caste-related attack. In August 2023, seven teenage boys from the Maravar (Most Backward Class) community allegedly attacked a Dalit student, Chinnadurai, with sickles inside his home in Nanguneri town. Chinnadurai survived the assault but was grievously injured, while his 13-year-old sister, who rushed to help him, was also wounded. The attackers were reportedly angered by Chinnadurai’s academic success, and he had allegedly faced caste-based harassment for several years before the assault. Following the 2023 attack and the public outrage that followed, the Tamil Nadu government appointed a one-person commission headed by retired Justice K. Chandru. After its investigation, the commission recommended banning the wearing of coloured threads and other caste markers in schools. Meanwhile, residents of Perumpaththu village from both Backward Class (BC) and Dalit communities staged protests after the latest attack. On Wednesday afternoon, the family of Odisha migrant worker D. Trinath Kata received his body and cremated it at the Tirunelveli Corporation crematorium, while also seeking financial assistance from the Tamil Nadu and Odisha governments. Meanwhile, the family of John Mark, the Scheduled Caste victim, refused to receive his body, demanding the arrest of all those involved and strict action against the culprits. The Tirunelveli District Police on Wednesday said that all the accused involved in the March 2 murder incident at Perumpathu village near Nanguneri have been secured, arrested, and remanded to judicial custody following an investigation by the Nanguneri Police Station. In a statement, police said they had also noticed several individuals posting provocative and divisive content on social media related to the incident, using abusive and inflammatory language that could disturb public peace and law and order. Authorities said legal action has been initiated against those spreading such objectionable content online. Cases have already been registered at the Vijayanarayanam Police Station and Nanguneri Police Station, and efforts are underway to identify and arrest those responsible for the posts. Prassanna Kumar, Superintendent of Police, Tirunelveli district, warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone spreading provocative, divisive, or violence-inciting content on social media. Police also urged the public to avoid sharing misleading or inflammatory messages online and to act responsibly in the interest of communal harmony and public peace. Courtesy : Maktoob Media Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Cong’s right to see RaGa as PM: Ponnam
Hyderabad: BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy on Wednesday criticised Union minister Bandi Sanjay over his remarks on AICC leader Rahul Gandhi, stating that in a democracy it is the people who decide leadership. Bandi Sanjay allegedly said the country would face an eclipse if Rahul Gandhi became the prime minister. Countering Bandi Sanjay’s remarks, Ponnam Prabhakar said it was the right of Congress to aspire to see Rahul Gandhi as the prime minister and added that such decisions ultimately depend on the trust of the people. Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar said Bandi’s remarks reflected political frustration and insecurity rather than constructive politics. “Bandi Sanjay should know that Narendra Modi himself came to Gujarat as a parachute leader and became the chief minister. Even without winning an election like Modi, many assumed high office before. Even though senior leaders like Manmohan Singh preferred Rahul Gandhi for the prime minister’s post in 2009, Rahul Gandhi chose not to take up the position then,” he claimed. He accused the BJP-led govt at the Centre of pushing the country into difficulties on several fronts over the past several years, claiming that prices rose sharply and govt organisations were weakening. Ponnam Prabhakar accused BJP of indulging in divisive politics by inciting religious hatred and targeting minorities and weaker sections for political gains. “Central investigative agencies such as CBI and Enforcement Directorate were being misused to destabilise opposition govts,” he alleged. Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, the minister said the Congress leader worked to promote unity in the country. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Noor urges Rahul to boycott Bengal polls over ‘vote chori’
Malda: With 8.3 lakh Malda voters marked “under adjudication” in the electoral rolls published on Saturday, former MP Mausam Noor has written to Rahul Gandhi, urging him to boycott the assembly election if it is held on the basis of the current list. Noor said on Wednesday, “We informed Rahul Gandhi as well as our PCC leadership to boycott the election if it is held on the basis of this electoral roll. However, we were told that it is too early to take such a decision. Instead, we are launching a movement against this list starting March 5.” Blaming both TMC and BJP, Noor said they wanted to keep the Congress away from the fray. She alleged that minority communities were targeted. In Congress strongholds like Sujapur, Mothabari, Malatipur, and Harishchandrapur, the proportion of voters under adjudication was 53.6%, 40.6%, 40.9%, and 36.4% respectively. In Sujapur alone, 1.3 lakh out of 2.5 lakh voters were listed under adjudication. Noor, who rejoined Congress from the TMC in Jan, has provided a significant fillip to the party which failed to win a single seat in Malda in the 2021 assembly elections. However, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress won from Malda South. This time, the party has decided to contest the state polls alone. “The voters, particularly Muslims, were victimised through no fault of their own. The state has a long secular tradition, but BJP and TMC are now engaging in divisive politics,” Noor added. MP Isha Khan Choudhury said, “If this list remains, there is no point in contesting. Our neta Rahul Gandhi has been highlighting the ‘vote-chori’ issue for a long time. This list in Bengal, published by the EC, is clear proof of this.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Under pressure from the Dalit Left, recruitment GO likely to come up for discussion again in Karnataka Cabinet
Dalit left community delegation, including Ministers K.H. Muniyappa and R.B. Thimmapur, met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday and is learnt to have exerted pressure for withdrawal of GO on recruitment The Dalit Left community has also sought replacement of Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, accusing him of being ‘biased’ against internal reservation. The Dalit Left community has also sought replacement of Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, accusing him of being ‘biased’ against internal reservation. | Photo Credit: file photo Under pressure from Dalit Left community leaders, who have criticised a Government Order that has not provided for internal reservation for the recruitment of 56,432 posts, the State government is likely to discuss the reservation issue again during the next Cabinet meeting. The issue seems to have driven a wedge among the Dalit communities in the State. On Tuesday, a Dalit Left community delegation, including Cabinet Ministers K.H. Muniyappa and R.B. Thimmapur, met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and is learnt to have exerted pressure for the withdrawal of the notification. It has also sought replacement of Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, accusing him of being “biased” against the internal reservation. Later in the evening, the two Ministers told prespersons that the matter would be discussed during the next Cabinet meeting on Thursday. Disappointed, say Ministers Sources said that the two Ministers expressed their disappointment and disapproval of the GO that has asked recruitment authorities/department to stick to the reservation quota that existed before December 2022, which effectively means sticking to the 50% cap and without internal reservation. Sources said that the two Ministers told the Chief Minister that they were kept in the dark and were not told about internal reservation not being part of the GO. Among others present in the delegation were former MLC and KPCC SC cell head Dharmasena, former Minister Anjaneya, and former MP L. Hanumanthaiah. The Dalit Left community has been upset over the State government’s plan to recruit 56,432 posts, one of the biggest recruitment drives in recent decades, without implementing the internal reservation. This comes amid the Karnataka Sub classification Bill that seeks to provide internal reservation in 17% quota getting Governor’s assent. The community estimates that SCs and STs will lose 1,129 posts and 2,258 posts, respectively, as per the GO. Resignation sought In another development on Tuesday, a number of Dalit Left community organisations that met here decided to seek the resignation of Dr. Mahadevappa, and immediate withdrawal of the GO. A note issued after the meeting said that the government should reconsider recommendations of either the A.J. Sadashiva Commission or the H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission to ascertain backwardness. They also discussed the future action to exert pressure on the government not to hold recruitment without internal reservation. The Hindu Bureau Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https:/thehindu.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
EPS slams CM Stalin over ‘poor L&O’, says Dalits under repeated attacks
TVK president Vijay expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. TIRUNELVELI: AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the DMK government over the sickle attack carried out by a nine-member gang at Perumpathu near Nanguneri on Monday night, in which two persons were killed and several others injured. In a statement on X handle, Palaniswami said Chief Minister MK Stalin had spent the past five years in a lethargic manner, as if law and order was not a priority. He charged that the government has been focusing only on promotional campaigns while violence continued across the state. Referring to the incident, Palaniswami said residents belonging to the Scheduled Caste community in the area were staging protests claiming that they were being repeatedly targeted. “Does the government intend to keep Tamil Nadu in constant fear and tension,” he asked. TVK president Vijay expressed condolences to the families of the deceased. He questioned whether there was any guarantee for the safety of people. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran alleged that the growing use of drugs and liquor had contributed to such incidents. TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai demanded stringent action against those responsible. NTK chief Seeman, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss and former BJP state president K Annamalai also condemned the government. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Catholic Church in India reaches out to transgender community
The Catholic Church in southern India has launched a new pastoral initiative for the transgender community. The archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madras and Mylapore formally inaugurated a dedicated “Catholic Desk” for transgender persons during a parish visit to Kadarkarai Sagaya Madha Church in Ennore, a coastal district of Chennai, on February 26. The opening followed the blessing of newly completed parish facilities and is understood to be the first structured ministry of its kind within the archdiocese. Church officials indicated that the initiative is intended to offer practical assistance as well as spiritual accompaniment. Among the services envisaged are help with employment opportunities and access to professional counselling, which diocesan representatives described as part of a commitment to uphold human dignity while responding to acute social vulnerability. India’s transgender population is estimated at around half a million. Many belong to the Hijra community, officially recognised in several South Asian countries as neither exclusively male nor female, drawing on Hindu, Islamic and local traditions. Historically, they have occupied ritual roles at births and weddings. Previously, in 2017, clergy, Religious and lay leaders in Kerala established a support network under the aegis of Pro-Life Support, a Church-based social service movement aimed at addressing pastoral and social needs among transgender people in that state. The initiative followed public remarks by Pope Francis urging pastoral care for those who identify as LGBT, comments cited by clergy in India seeking to expand outreach. Kerala has since witnessed a series of practical measures involving Catholic institutions. Religious sisters from the Congregation of the Mother of Carmel made premises available for an educational project for transgender school dropouts after numerous landlords reportedly declined to rent space for such a venture. Caritas India, the Church’s charitable arm, has also announced programmes designed to counter discrimination and promote social inclusion. Activists in Kerala have acknowledged Church support for pilot educational schemes, arguing that religious institutions can exert influence at grass-roots level in shaping social attitudes. Such cooperation has not been without controversy in a country where questions of gender identity intersect with deeply rooted religious traditions and where Christian communities themselves constitute a minority. The Hijra identity predates Christianity’s arrival in India and is intertwined with Hindu mythology. Devotion to the goddess Bahuchara Mata and the composite deity Ardhanarishvara, a form of Shiva embodying both masculine and feminine aspects, remains significant within parts of the community. The Catholic Church teaches that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God, male and female, and possesses an inviolable dignity that no circumstance can erase. Magisterial teaching holds that sexual difference is not incidental but constitutive of the human person. For that reason, the Church has rejected theories that detach gender from biological sex or propose a self-defined identity independent of the body. In 2023 the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith reiterated that so-called “gender ideology” obscures the reality of sexual complementarity and risks reducing identity to subjective construction. Although no magisterial document addresses the South Asian Hijra community specifically, the Church’s universal moral teaching applies. Cultural expressions of a “third gender”, including practices historically associated with ritual castration or religious symbolism drawn from pre-Christian traditions, would be judged incompatible with Christian tradition, which affirms the integrity of the sexed body as part of God’s design. The Church does, however, insist that all people are treated with respect and made in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, pastoral programmes which seek to mitigate the plight of the socially downtrodden and excluded, which much of India’s Hijra community are, can be seen as expressions of this teaching. Courtesy : The Catholic Herald Note: This news is originally published on https:/thecatholikherakd.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
‘India must be morally clear’: Rahul Gandhi urges PM Modi to ‘speak up’ on Iran crisis
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government to take a clear and moral stand amid escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran. In a post on X, Rahul said the region was being pushed “toward wider conflict” and warned that millions, including nearly a crore Indians, faced uncertainty due to the deteriorating security situation. “Escalating hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran are pushing a fragile region toward wider conflict. Crores of people, including nearly a crore Indians, face uncertainty,” Rahul said. “While security concerns are real, attacks that violate sovereignty will only worsen the crisis. The unilateral attacks on Iran, as well as Iran’s attacks on other Middle Eastern nations, must be condemned. Violence begets violence – dialogue and restraint remain the only path to peace,” he added. Rahul said India’s foreign policy traditions demand clarity during periods of global instability. “India must be morally clear. We should have the courage to speak plainly in defence of international law and human lives. Our foreign policy is rooted in sovereignty and the peaceful resolution of disputes — and it must remain consistent,” he said. In a pointed remark aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi questioned the government’s position on recent developments. “PM Modi must speak up. Does he support the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order? Silence now diminishes India’s standing in the world,” he added. Meanwhile, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday that limited flight operations have resumed from Dubai amid continued airspace disruptions in the region. US and Israel conducted airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28, targeting military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites, and key regime infrastructure. These strikes resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and four senior military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Kishan Reddy seeks white paper on Telangana finances
Hyderabad: With the budget session set to begin on March 16, Union coal minister G Kishan Reddy has written to chief minister A Revanth Reddy, urging the state govt to release a white paper on Telangana’s financial position. In his letter, Kishan Reddy referred to the Congress party’s election promises and recalled the CM’s remark that the “state treasury is empty like mud pots instead of treasure.” He also cited a recent comment suggesting that ₹1,000 crore could go to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi’s family and the Congress, calling the statements contradictory. The Union minister said Telangana, which began as a surplus state, is now facing rising per capita debt and increasing dependence on borrowings for routine expenditure. He urged the govt to present facts through the white paper before the budget session. Kishan Reddy said that the NDA govt led by PM Modi has extended about ₹12 lakh crore to Telangana over 12 years through tax devolution, infrastructure allocations, welfare schemes, farm support, institutional lending and interest-free loans for key infrastructure projects. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Parliament must debate ‘dissonance’ in foreign policy: Congress MP Sonia Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Terming the PM Modi govt’s “silence” on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s targeted assassination and attack on Iran as signalling a “tacit endorsement” of the tragedy, Congress MP Sonia Gandhi has demanded that Parliament discuss the “dissonance” in foreign policy when it resumes next week – suggesting that the opposition will strongly raise the recent events of West Asia in the Budget session. She said the killing of a sitting head of state in the middle of ongoing negotiations marks a grave rupture in contemporary international relations. Leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi asked if PM Modi “supports the assassination of a head of state as a way to define the world order”. Urging Modi to speak up, Rahul said silence diminishes India’s standing in the world. In a media article, Sonia said Modi’s recent visit to Israel and “his unconditional support” for the Benjamin Netanyahu govt just two days before the US-Israel attacks on Iran has raised serious questions, besides the abandoning of an old ally like Iran. She asked why the “Global South” would trust India to defend its territorial sovereignty when it cannot even defend that principle. The attitude of govt has raised serious doubts about the direction and credibility of India’s foreign policy, she said. Sonia emphasised the need for “us to rediscover” the moral strength of the values India has stood for – sovereignty, peace, justice, non-violence. She said the PM ignored the massive US-Israeli attack on Iran, and condemned Iran’s retaliatory strike on the UAE without addressing the sequence of events that preceded it. Noting that India’s ties with Israel have in recent years expanded across defence, agriculture and technology, Sonia said India’s relations with both Tehran and Tel Aviv give it the space to urge restraint. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Karnataka: A major initiative against untouchability; the government opened a salon after a barber refused to cut the hair of Dalits.
Following the high-handedness of barbers in Gadag, Karnataka, the government launched a historic initiative, opening a “government salon” in a village to eradicate untouchability and caste discrimination. Karnataka: The Karnataka government has taken a significant step towards eradicating caste discrimination. After local barbers in Singatalur village, Gadag district, refused to provide services to Dalits, the government opened a new salon in the village at its own expense. This is likely the first government initiative of its kind in the state. This government salon has been built on government land near the village bus stand. Several officials from the Social Welfare Department and the Gram Panchayat were present at the inauguration. Constructed at a cost of ₹1.2 lakh The Social Welfare Department spent approximately ₹1.2 lakh on the construction and necessary equipment for this tin-framed shop. Initially, a barber from Mundargi was specially called in to run this salon. What was the whole controversy? According to officials, the Hadapada family, traditionally engaged in barbering, had been refusing to cut the hair of Dalits in the village for several years, citing religious beliefs. An official explained that the Hadapada family are devotees of the village deity, Veerbhadreshwar. They believe that the deity visits their homes during a specific time of the year, and therefore, they cannot provide services to Dalits during that time. The matter escalated when Dalit youth began demanding their legal right to receive services at the village’s only barber shop. They approached the district administration, stating that denying service based on caste is completely illegal. Administrative Strictness and New Solution As the controversy escalated, the old shop was closed. Subsequently, the district administration held several meetings with the villagers and the barber community. They were persuaded to reopen the shop and offer services to all sections of society. When negotiations failed, notices were issued threatening legal action, but the problem remained unresolved. Finally, with no other option left, officials decided to establish a separate government salon to ensure equal rights for all. At the administration’s request, Devu Hadapada, the state president of the Hadapada Annappa Samaj, agreed to send his brother (who is also a barber) to run the new shop. A Step Towards Social Change Devou Hadapada supported the move, saying, “It’s very sad that the sick mentality of looking down on the backward classes still exists in society. But we have extended our full support to the government to end such practices. This shop is now open to all communities.” Mundargi Taluka Panchayat Executive Officer Vishwanath Hosamani explained that the problem had been ongoing for nearly two years. He added, “Now, with the coordination and efforts of all concerned departments, we have been able to find a peaceful solution to the issue.” Villagers heave a sigh of relief Villagers have wholeheartedly welcomed the administration’s move. Mariyazza, a resident of Singatalur, expressed hope that this initiative will help eliminate discriminatory practices. She said, “This step has given us hope that this evil practice of untouchability will now end forever.” Officials also believe that this unique initiative could serve as a role model for addressing such discrimination elsewhere in the state. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News