
SMS Help line to Address Violence Against Dalits and Adivasis in India
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K. Srinivasan, (18), resident of Narayanapuram Street, Keelnelithanallur, Sankarankovil Taluk, Trinelveli District, belongs to Dalit Pallan community. He is working as a daily wage farm labourer. On 18/10/09, 8pm while Srinivasan was walking through the dominant caste hindu Konaar steet, he was stopped by S. Kudaaram, V. Muthaiah, V. Vasanth and S. Pannaiyar – all belongs to dominant caste hindu Konaar community. Kudaaram told that, “you pallan should not walk through our street”. In reply, Srivasan questioned, “Who are you people to ask me not to walk through the street? Kudaaram who could not tolerate the assertion of a Dalit, verbally abused him saying, “ son of palla prostitute, who dare you question us and who will question us if we assault you?. Then Kudaaram hit Srinivasan in his head. Srinivasan objected to his attack and told that he will retaliate if you attack again. Infuriated and intolerant Muthaiah and Vasanth kicked him to the ground. Pannaiyar kicked him and said we have to kill the pallans to break their bones. Kudaaram hit Srinivasan with a stone, Srinivasan sustained injury over his eyelids, and blood gushed out. As Srinivasan shouted for help, all the perpetrators ran away from the place of incident.
Dalits belongs to his street, who came along the way, took him to the Panavadalichatiram Police Station. Police filed a complaint against the perpetrators. Then Srinivasan was taken to the Thirunelveli Government Hospital and was provided treatment for a week. Police arrested only one of the perpetrators (Kudaaram). Politicians and village elders visited him and exerted pressure on him to withdraw the complaint and to compromise with him.
Veeramuthu (48), resident of Harijan colony, Amaravathi Pudur, Kodumudi, Erode district, belongs to Dalit Arunthathiyar community. In his village there are only 15 Dalit families and around 300 dominant caste hindu Kounder families. Kounders being in dominant position, all the dalits have to obey their orders and have to show respect at the very sight of Kounders. In the village, kounders practices caste based discrimination, untouchability and commission atrocities against dalits. Veeramuthu, being an educated person and who wants to stand firm against discriminatory and untouchability practice, usally not give respect to kounders just because of their caste superiority.
On 18/10/09, while he was returning home on his bi-cycle, as usual he had not given respect to some the koundes standing along the road side. On noticing this, Venkatachelam Kounder, a retired teacher, shouted at him saying, “you son of Sakkili prostitute, stop your vehicle? Veeramuthu stopped the vehicle and looked at Venkatachalam, Venkatachalam again verbally abused him referring derogatory regarding caste. saying “eventhough you are a government servant, you are still a sakkili, can’t you give respect to me as I am a Kounder, you will never become a kounder eventhough you are govt bus conductor. In reply to them, Veeramuthu told that since you people are high due to alchohol, let us speak about this later. After saying so, he went to his house.
Around 08.30 pm of the same day, Teacher Venkatachalam, V. Gupenthran Ganapathy, Chinnathambi, Shankar and Sekar. Received treatment for Kodumudi GH - Erode GH. Kodumudi police received the statement. On behalf of Mayor
M. Bupal BA. BL, resident of Bolan Nagar, Roshanai, Tindivanan Taluk, Villupuram District, belongs to Dalit Paraiyar community. He is a lawyer and also affiliated to Viduthalai Chiruthaihal Katchi (VCK). He is also a Ward Member of Tindivanam Town Panchayat. On 18/10/09, due to a petty conflict over a bike accident, Roshanai Police Station Inspector, took 7 dalit youths in to police custody and brutally assaulted them. On knowing this, Bupal being a lawyer, went to the Roshanai police station. On seeing the Inspector beating the Dalits with a lathi, Bupal raised objection to this. He said as a police officer you can remand them under police custody and investigate them after filing a case. He questioned the Inspector for beating the dalits without being a filing a case against them. As the Inspector have not listened to the objection raised by Bupal, he told that he will file a complaint with the Superintendent of Police. Having said he started walking out from the police station. But the Head constable verbally abused him referring derogatory regarding caste and slapped him. Hence Bupal filed a complaint with the District SP regarding this assault and the Head Constable was immediately transferred. The police failed to invoke the proper sections of PoA act in this regard and negligent to take stringent disciplinary action against the Head Constable Subbiah.
Annapurna, aged 30, SC mala by caste, resident of NBT Nagar, Patigadda, Secunderabad was married to Yadagiri, aged 32, BC Mudiraj by caste resident of same colony in Arya Samaj on 2/2/1999 with the consent of parents. They had 2 daughters and the younger daughter passed away at the age of 5 months. Their marital life was happy for 3 months and later on he left his job and used to drink day and night, come home at mid nights and harass her physically, mentally and doubted her fidelity. He used to sell away the household items for money to satisfy his needs and was least bothered about his family and made them to starve. At this helpless situation she started working in a private company to take care of the family and to repay the loan amount of Rs 2,00,000/- with which she renovated the house which was given by her father. His harassment continued and has reached an extent of abusing her in the name of caste, spit in her food, forced her to eat the same and continuously assault her physically. He used to force her to earn more money through Prostitution. Unable to bear the torture, she left away to her parent’s house with her daughter. He continued to harass her by going to work place and in-laws house. Due to the nuisance created by him, she lost her job many a times. Once he tried to kill her by pouring kerosene and set her on fire with kerosene. By seeing that incident, her father died of heart attack. When she took up the issue with caste elders, though they warned him many a times but there was no change. At last she lodged complaint in Begumpet Women P.S, but in vain.