Uthamapalayam is a village, near Vellaikovil, Kangayem Taluk, Tirupur District. This village is home to Caste hindu Kongu Vellalar community and Dalit Arunthathiar Community. Caste based untouchability practice and discrimination is widely practiced in this village and in the neighbouring villages. Mariamman Kovil, located in this village is nearly 400 years old. In 1983, Uthama Mariamman Trust was formed, and of all the 14 Trustees 13 were from the caste hindu Gounder community and one from Chettiyar Community. 80 acres of public land and nearly 350 Pounds of Gold belong to this Temple Trust. Since 1992, Dalits were involved various protest movement seeking permission to conduct puja in this temple. In 2004, Dalits staged an agitation seeking temple entry. With the Government intervention, Dalits were allowed inside the temple. Caste hindus considered this as theetu, and closed the temple. They planned to build an another temple and erected a temporary structure with thatched roofs and steel sheets. In 2010, Caste hindu gounder community people, built a new, Uthama Mariamman Pudhu Kovil, with the Temple Trust Fund and without consulting the Dalits.

On 21/10/2010, Kounder community people orgainsed a festival in the Pudhu Kovil. They planned to assault whomsoever tries to enter the temple on this day. On the day of festival, when dalits tried to enter the temple, they were assaulted by the caste hindus. Mr. Solaiyappan and Mrs. Kavitha were assaulted by the caste hindus, in the presence of Police men. 100 Dalits and pro-dalits who staged a protest on this day  were arrested by the police. 

Rajendran and Ashok, residents of C.Meyur, Thiruvennainallur Union, Thirukovilur Taluk, Villupuram District, belongs to Dalit Paraiyar community. On 13/10/10, while they were riding their bike, Kuthukounder, resident of Ayyampettai, belongs to dominant caste hindu Kounder community, who was riding a bullock cart hit Rajendran’s bike. The cart wheel went over the foot of Rajendran causing grievious injury. On seeing Kuthukounder riding and speaking through mobile phone, Ashok and Rajendran, scolded him for his carelessness. Kuthukounder verbally abused them saying, “you paraya son of prostitutes, how dare you advise me?”. The heated dialogue turned into a scuffle and the Dalits assaulted Kuthukounder. In retaliation Kuthukounder attacked them with his whip. Rajendran was taken to the hospital for medical treatment for his leg injury.  On noticing this incident, Vedival and his wife Indra, who were collecting fodders pacified both the group and struck peace.

In sequence to this incident, Kuthukounder called his fellow caste hindus and informed about the assault. The intolerant caste hindus who could not tolerate the assertion of dalits organized a 20 member mob and reached the place with deadly weapons. As Ashok and Rajendran left the scene, the mob caught hold Vedivel and Indra, and brutally assaulted them with deadly weapons, asking the details about Ashok and Rajendran. Shanmugam who came to the rescue of his parents, was also hit with a stone. Shanmugam and Vedivel sustained grievous injury, were taken to the Thirukovilur government hospital. The mob assaulted Selvaraj who was identified as dalit as he was wearing VCK party dhoti. Elumalai, Kovindhan, Gemini and Balu belongs to dalit community were also brutally assaulted by the mob. When the injured dalit called for the emergency ambulance, the caste hindu mob prevented the ambulance to board the wounded Dalits. On 15/10/2010, the mob went to the Thirukovilur Government hospital and assaulted Rajendran as a act of vengeance.

Dalits staged a protest infront of the Thiruvenainallur Police Station requesting the arrest of the perpetrators. But the police filed cases against the perpetrators and also against the dalit victims. Later peace meeting was convened and the case was compromised.

Legal Standard Breached:

1.       Whoever is guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. [Sec. 148 of IPC].
2.       Voluntarily causing hurt to and assault or another person is an offence Sec.323, 326, 342,355, 34 of IPC
3.       Whoever  commits,  the  offence  of  criminal  intimidation  shall  be  punished  with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both. (Sec. 506 of IPC).
4.       A person, who is not a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, who intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste in any place of public view, is guilty of an offence under the Act ( sec. 3(1)(x) SC/ST (PoA) Act).
5.       Whoever, being a public servant but not being a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, willfully neglects his/her duties required to be performed by him/her under this Act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to one year [sec. 4 SC/ST (PoA) Act].
6.       No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to - the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of State funds or dedicated to the use of the general public. (Art. 15(2)(b) IC-FR).
7.       No one shall be deprived of his/her right to life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary detention or imprisonment [Art. 21 IC-FR, Art. 9 UDHR, & Art. 9(1) ICCPR].
8.       Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person [Arts. 3 UDHR, Art. 6(1) ICCPR & Art. 5(b) CERD].
9.       No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment [Art. 5 UDHR and Art. 7 ICCPR].

Indira Nagar, in Semmandempalayam, Palladam Taluk, Tirupur district, is home to nearly 3100 Dalit Arunthathiyar families. In this village, caste hindu Kounder community people were found to be in majority. On 29/09/2010, Ramesh (15) 10^th std student, Paneerselvam (14) 9^th std student and Vijayan (15) 9^th std student, all belongs to Dalit Arunthathiyar community, went to the government poromboke field to play gilly game. They cut some sticks from the tree found in that land to make gilly stick. Thaneerpandam Thottam owner Narayanan Kounder scolded the students saying, “Sakkili dogs why you are cutting branches from the trees. Then he and his son brutally assaulted the three students and threw them into the thorn trees causing grievous injury.