Director Pa Ranjith, on Friday, January 13, slammed the Tamil Nadu government for not taking proper action against the perpetrators who contaminated an overhead water tank in Vengavayal village of Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu. He has also alleged that police were forcing the victims to “accept that they did the crime” in the Vengavayal caste crime where the water tank used by Dalit families was contaminated with human excreta.
“Social injustice continues! Strongly condemn the Tamil Nadu police department for threatening the victims to confess to the crime in the name of investigation without trying to identify the perpetrators, in the case of mixing human excreta in a water tank in Pudukottai’s Vengavayal!!,” he tweeted. He also criticised N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, Minister of Adi Dravidar Welfare and legislators for failing to meet those who faced caste discrimination.
தொடரூம் சமூக அநீதி!புதுக்கோட்டை வேங்கைவயல் குடிநீர் தொட்டியில் மலம் கலந்த விவகாரத்தில் குற்றவாளிகளை கண்டறிய முயற்ச்சிக்காமல், பாதிக்கப்பட்ட மக்களையே குற்றத்தை ஒப்புக்கொள்ளுமாறு விசாரனை என்ற பெயரில் மிரட்டி வரும் தமிழக காவல் துறைக்கு கடூம் கண்டனங்கள்!!
— pa.ranjith (@beemji) January 13, 2023
On January 12, Dalit rights activist Shalin Maria Lawerance also condemned the inaction of the police team which was formed under district Superintendent of Police (SP) Vandita Pandey to conduct an enquiry in the case. She tweeted, “We have failed our brothers of Vengavayal, Tamil Nadu. It's been three weeks since the faeces contamination of drinking water at the Dalit settlement came to limelight. No action has been taken. Instead, affected Dalits have been investigated for the last three days by the police.”
We have failed our brothers of Vengaivayale #Tamilnadu.It's been three weeks since the faeces contamination of drinking water at the #Dalit settlement came to limelight. No action has been taken.Instead affected Dalits have been investigated for the last three days by the police
— Shalin Maria Lawrence (@TheBluePen25) January 12, 2023
Meanwhile, Chief Minister MK Stalin, on January 11, said in the Tamil Nadu Assembly that all measures have been taken to safeguard the interest of Dalits in Vengavayal. He added that statements have been taken from 70 people from the village. However, Dalit rights activist Evidence Kathir told TNM that the entire statement given by MK Stalin was in contrast to what happened in Vengavayal. “They summoned around seven Dalit residents from Vengavayal and the questioning lasted till early morning of January 11. They were asked why they checked the overhead water tank and why they posted pictures and videos of it on social media. They were even asked if someone from their community had defiled the water.” He further added, “The people who faced inhuman caste discrimination are now subjected to police torture. We urge the Chief Minister to visit Vengavayal and not just believe the district administration's statements.”
The contamination of the water came to light after five Dalit children from Vengavayal fell ill and were hospitalised. After the doctors treating the children alerted the villagers to possible water contamination, the villagers inspected their common water tank only to find that the drinking water source of the Dalit families had been contaminated with human excreta. The tank was cleaned with bleach on December 26, and pipe connections to the houses were replaced two weeks later.