A 26-year-old singer belonging to the Paraiyar community, categorised as a Scheduled Caste (SC) group in Tamil Nadu, was allegedly waylaid and attacked at Pudukottai by a group of caste Hindus on November 12, the day of Deepavali. The attackers are from the Kallar caste, which is a denotified community under the Most Backward Classes (MBC). The complainant Prakash, a resident of Ayikudi Annanagar near Karambakkudi, is a well-known singer who often takes part in orchestra performances in and around Pudukottai. He was also a contestant in Season 2 of the popular reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, which was broadcast on the Zee Tamil television channel in 2019. He is currently under treatment for his injuries at the Pudukottai Government Medical College Hospital, with up to 15 stitches on his head.
On November 12, Prakash and his cousin Kabilan had gone to Varappur on a bike, to purchase some vegetables and firecrackers for Deepavali. As they were returning home, they noticed they were being followed by two Kallar men. Subsequently, the Kallar duo allegedly waylaid Prakash and Kabilam near the Meludaiyanpatti 4 corner road, and began to verbally abuse them using casteist slurs. As Prakash and Kabilan tried to ignore them and ride further, two more Kallar men joined the assailants and attacked Prakash with bottles. The accused also allegedly pelted stones on them. Kabilan soon took Prakash, who was critically injured, to the Pudukottai government hospital. Kabilan also sustained injuries in the attack and was discharged on November 14.
Speaking to TNM, Prakash alleged that what he faced was a brutal attack aimed at hurting him badly. “They (Kallar men) often tend to pick fights with random people from our community. I was not even acquainted with the attackers. They simply started to attack us. They might have known me because I have been participating in local temple festivals in their villages in the past few years,” he said.
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Two of the assailants have been identified as Sarathi and Deva, residents of Adhiranviduthi village. Two others are yet to be identified. Malaiyur police have booked the four accused under Sections 294(b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 324 (voluntarily hurt by the use of a dangerous weapon), 341 (wrongful restraint), and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A source from the Malaiyur police team said an investigation is underway, and that they have formed a special team to arrest all of the perpetrators who allegedly assaulted the Dalit youths.
Recently on November 3, a 16-year-old Dalit boy died by suicide in Pudukottai after he was allegedly assaulted and verbally abused by Kallar students near Keeranur library. The attack was because he interacted with a caste Hindu girl. Upsetted by the assault, the Dalit student returned to his house in Koppampatti of Kulathoor block and died by suicide a few hours later.