A controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu over the alleged attack on a 12-year-old Brahmin boy, Akhilesh, in Tirunelveli district. The 12-year-old has alleged that his poonal (a thread worn mostly by Brahmins across their body) was snipped by miscreants on Saturday, September 21. The BJP has blamed the DMK for the incident, claiming that the ruling party has encouraged hatred against Brahmins.

According to the victim, four unidentified individuals came on two motorcycles and cornered him in TVS Nagar. They allegedly cut off the boy’s poonal and threatened him against wearing it again. The poonal is seen as a caste marker of superiority, which differentiates the Brahmins from other castes. 

The victim’s father told the media that his son was not wearing a shirt when he ventured out. Subsequently, a complaint was filed with the Perumalpuram police station. The police have however refuted the claims. 

The police in a statement on Monday, September 23 said, “Following the complaint, the police examined the CCTV footage from the place where the youth had reported the incident to have taken place. In the said footage, no suspicious two-wheelers had approached Akhilesh nor cut off his Poonal.” The police also said that they couldn’t ascertain the claims from witnesses on the road where the incident allegedly took place.

However, following the minor’s allegations, several BJP and AIADMK leaders condemned the incident and blamed the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). 

Tamil Nadu BJP state vice president Narayanan Thirupathy wrote on X, “...The attack and cutting of sacred thread of the child in Tirunelveli yesterday is nothing but the result or reaction of the Tamil Nadu Minister Duraimurugan's recent speech about the Brahmin community at the DMK's platinum jubilee meeting. Being the party in power it is unbecoming of a government to allow a community is targeted by a minister abusing a community openly in a public place.”

During a recent DMK meeting Duraimurugan had condemned the union government for appointing 14 Brahmins to “rewrite the history of India”, and asked what is wrong with the history that it needed to be rewritten. He further said that the DMK will not keep quiet if the BJP continues to do so.

The BJP vice president said that it was the duty and responsibility of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin to arrest the culprits behind the crime.