Tamil Nadu

TN cop absconds after assaulting Dalit man for talking to woman friend

Eswaran, a police officer from Tiruvannamalai, made Gowthamapriyan, a Dalit man, kneel down in public and proceeded to whip him with a cable wire while using foul language.

Written by : Anjana Shekar

The Thiruvannamalai district police are on the lookout for their colleague, 34-year-old Eswaran, who has been absconding after assaulting and injuring a Dalit man while being off duty. The incident took place on March 31 around 2.30 pm near Kuppanatham bus stand in Chengam taluk. Eswaran was supposed to return to work on April 2 but has been untraceable.

Eswaran, who had gone home to Kuppanatham village on leave for four days from March 30 to April 2, had assaulted and injured 20-year-old Gowthamapriyan, a Dalit man, from Thokkavadi Colony for talking to a woman friend who was not from his (Gowthamapriyan’s) village.

In an abhorrent act of casteist violence, the police officer from the Vanniyar community, who was present nearby, made Gowthamapriyan kneel down in public and proceeded to whip him with a cable wire while using foul language. People present on the spot watched on as Gowthamapriyan was repeatedly beaten.

Videos of the incident on social media show Eswaran, who has his back to the camera, asking Gowthamapriyan a few questions before proceeding to whip him on his extended palm.

Speaking to TNM, Chengam sub-division Deputy Superintendent of Police R Chinnaraj, who is the Investigating Officer (IO) for the case says, “Eswaran was on leave to attend a funeral. When the incident took place, he was at a two-wheeler repair shop. Gowthamapriyan, according to his complaint, said he was talking to a woman friend and was then assaulted by Eswaran.”

A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against Eswaran under Sections 294 (b) (obscenity), 324 (assault) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 3(1) (Punishments for offences of atrocities) and 3 (2) (5) of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

When asked why Eswaran assaulted Gowthamapriyan, the Deputy SP said, “He had asked him why he was talking to a girl who was not from his village.”

Gowthamapriyan was taken to the Chengam Government Hospital for his injuries.

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