In Hati village under Bhelawar (Kako) police station in Jahanabad Dist., 35 houses were burnt over a land dispute. The dalits encroached upon government land and lived for last many years, but the local goons and landlords belonging to dominant caste group planned out to evict the dalit community and encroach upon the land.

Thus, on 01/03/2010, at about 11 am, a group of goons and landlords of the village went to dalit basti, abused them by their caste name and force to leave the place. When the dalit people objected to it, the goons and landlords destroyed the houses, looted their belongings and burnt down houses. About 35 dalit households were completely turned to ashes.   

A case was registered in Bhelawar police station on 02/03/2010 against the accused persons as No. 44/10, u/s 147/148/149/323/427/436 IPC & 3(1)(x) of SC/ST (PoA) Act., however none of the perpetrator was arrested in this connection. Charge sheet is not filed. The victims have not received any compensation or rehabilitation packages from the administration. The victims are under threat to withdraw or compromise the case. 

Brief Details of the Incident:

T. Radha Rani, SC by caste, W/o. Sri NDS Mohan Rao, is working as typist since 2007 in Family court-cum-IV Addl. District Court, Kurnool. Recently M. Shanmugam joined as the judge in this court.  Since the day he joined, started harassing Radha Rani. He used to insult her by using fealty language in an unexplainable way. She was made to come to office early every day and was forced to stay till late hours. Unable to bear the harassment she complained to justice P.S. Narayana of High Court, as he was the Portfolio judge of Kurnool District, but there was no action against Shanmugam. Since then he has increased the harassment. He used to scold unnecessarily and torture her mentally. He used to look for loopholes to scold her. When Radha Rani used to go to Sanmugam’s chamber for signatures, he used to caught hold of her hand and harass her sexually and forced her to satisfy his sexual lust. Since she denied doing so, he abused her on the name of caste and intimidated to suspend her.

On 25^th of February Radha Rani raised from her seat as usually removed her foot wear and saluted by bowing her head to the judge while he was entering into the court hall. Shanmugam humiliated Radha Rani saying “why did you leave your foot wear on floor, take them and put on your head. You Mala Munda! Do you need colourful footwear, this Mala and Madiga Bitches want jobs, promotions, but are fit for nothing. I must have suspended you long back”. As he humiliated in front of Advocates Subaiah and Manohar and others, Radha Rani fell unconscious. She was immediately moved to Govt. hospital in108 ambulance. After coming to senses around 9.p.m. Radha Rani lodged a complaint with II Town P.S. Kurnool District, but in vain. Later Radha Rani was arrested based on the complaint lodged by Shanmugan and was remanded for 15 days. Later without her knowledge she was moved to Mental Hospital at Erragadda, at Hyderabad on 28^th February. After observing her for 24 hrs, the authorities have discharged confirmed that her health is OK.

Droupathiamman Kovil street, home to nearly 85 families belonging to different communities, is in Cuddalore Taluk, Cuddalore District. All these 85 families are living in the land belongs to the Temple Devasthanam. Ravi, Head Constable of Mudunagar PS is living in the nearby street. He made a small channel from his house and made the waste water from his, to drain into the Droupathiamman Kovil Street. Hence the residents of this street objected to this by complaining this to the respective authorities. Due to this objection, he stopped this activity for the last three years. Again to tried to divert the waste water from his house to drain into the Droupathiamman Kovil street. This time Ward Councilor, Women Self Help Group Secretary Ms. Sundari, objected this move and questioned him regarding this.

On 24/02/2010, 10.30 am. Ms. Durga Sub-Inspector of Mudunagar Police Station and a Police, came to the place of incident, and called the persons who were objecting the activities of Ravi’s action. Durga shouted at them saying that no one should stop him from making the channel to drain the waste water from his house. She told that, if anybody tries to stop him, then they will be arrested. Then she verbally abused them referring derogatory remarks. She scolded them saying “how dare you people living in government poromboke land are working against the government servant?. When they objected to this, SI Durga slapped Gingee Lakshmi and pushed down Mangayerkarasi by her chest. Then she shouted at them saying, I will file cases against you under brothel and Ganja smuggling and put you behind bars. Then she torn her shirt on her own and made a false complaint through phone saying that the crowd manhandled her, and whisked away from the scene.

Hence Sundari, Ward Councilor and 40 other people belongs to the Droupathiamman Kovil Street, tried to meet the SP and to file a complaint regarding this.  They tried to meet the SP and then the District collector to report the atrocity, in vain. On 25/02/2010, they filed a complaint with the DSP. DSP said that you were charged for manhandling the SI and tearing her shirt. Cuddalore SP without making any enquiry into the allegation of the SI, shouted at them to go out and threatened them that he will take action against them. The police is negligent to take action against the SI, who leveled a false accusation against the innocent people. The Police Department is biased infavour of the erred SI Durga and the Head Constable Ravi.

Erundhai, Erukkanpattu, Anaivaari, and Periyasavalai villages are in Thirunavallur Taluk, Villupuram District. Dalits are in majority in these villages. Madappattu village is a Central link to these four villages and to other townships. There are no regular transport facilities for these four villages. Hence most of the villagers use share autos for their travel purpose. In Madapattu auto stand there are around 56 share autos. Out of this 7 share autos belongs to dalits. Initially dalits were not allowed to use Madappattu Auto Stand. Gradually Dalits managed to run 7 share autos from Madappatu Auto stand to cater service to their community people. Dominant caste hindu Vanniyars are apprehensive and jealous about the prospects of the Dalit share auto drivers.

On 20/02/2010, Thamaraikani, Arulraj, Ammavasai torn the Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi banners kept in Maddapattu. Hence a case was filed against the three perpetrators. VCK party organized a fund raising programme to provide compensation for one of their deceased cadre’s family. Hence all the 7 autodrivers were asked to bring villagers from the four villages for Rs. 500 per auto. They were asked to hoist the VCK party flag in their autos. On 22/02/2010, Dominant caste Vanniyars who could not tolerate the assertion of the Dalits and the implication of three of their community members for tearing the Banner, prohibited the Dalits to use the Madapattu Auto Stand and brutally assaulted share auto driver Selvakumar. Then mob of Vanniyars entered the Dalit villages with deadly weapons and brutally assaulted all the 7 Dalit auto drivers. Fearing further onslaught Dalit auto drivers, have not stalled their service for a week. Then the village elders banned that auto belonging to Vanniyars to get into their villages. Fearing attack from the caste hindu vanniyars, people of these villages, have not ventured outside their villages. On 23/02/2010, to dalits namely Kamaraj and Selvaraj were brutally assaulted by the caste hindu Vanniyars. Police security is provided to these villagers. The Vanniyars filed a false counter complaint against the 7 auto drivers and 3 innocent dalit auto drivers were remanded in the police custody.

V. Ganapathi, resident of Kampathupatti village, Vilathikulam Taluk, Thoothukudi District, belongs to Dalit Pallan community. He is working as a Water Supplier in the Panchayat Board. On 21/02/2010, his relatives numbering 35 from Arasakumbanpatti, visited his village for the Karrupasamy Kovil maasi festival. During the afternoon, due to lack of shelter for the dinner, Ganapathi decided to arrange the dinner at the Panchayat Primary school varanda. As he know that it was a customary practice for the Nayakkars to use the School premises for similar purpose, he got the key from the maid of that school and they were having dinner at the school. At that time, Pounraj (councilor), Krishnamoorthy (Panchayat Vice-president), K. Sarath, Murugan, Manikandan, Kumar and Ravi – all belongs to caste hindu Nayakkar community, came inside and objected them to have food inside the school. They started attacking the relatives of Ganapathi, with lathis. All his relatives ran away, the mob caught hold Ganapathi and brutally assaulted him. Nayakkar community women around the premises, thrown stones at the dispersing innocent dalits. Ganapathi sustained severe injury in his eye lids damaging his eye sight. He was admitted in the Thoothukudi Government Hospital and received treatment until 03/03/2010. He filed a complaint with the Pudur Police Station. Police department is negligent to take action against the perpetrators. Members of Pudhiya Tamizaham, AIADMK political parties, persuaded him to withdraw the complaint and to compromise with the perpetrators.

In this village and in the surrounding villages, very often Nayakkars orchestrate atrociies against the Dalits. Dalits are discriminated in these villages by the Nayakkars and Devar community people. Untouchability practice is quite widespread in this villages.