As mentioned in the FIR and also stated by Nirmala Sethi, the wife of the deceased, the deceased Narahari Sethi was brutally killed by a group of assailants belong to dominant caste persons. On 27.03.2014 at about 8.00 am, Narahari Sethi was airing the paddy at his own paddy ground while son Tukuna, 19 was helping him. The neighbor, Ms. Gouri Maiti spoke something to her husband over telephone. Suddenly, a group of people came to the spot with lathi, thenga, axe and bhujali and attacked Narahari and his son Tukuna as  planned. The name of the persons who attacked the deceased were Dhira Rout s/o Rama Rout, Rama Rout, s/o Daitari Rout, Sudarsana Rout, Baidhara Maiti, Chtaranjan Maiti, Manoj Rout,Saroj Rout, Brja barik, Kalandi Barik, , Patia Barik, , Rabi Das, Bapi Das, Satyabhama Rout w/o Madan Rout, Tukuni Rout, Kanak Maiti, Gauri Maiti, Kanchan Maiti and 10 others all are from village Akhada Sahi, PS- Mahakalapada of district Kaendrapada. They attacked Narahari with lathi, axe, Bhujali. While, the deceased tried to enter his house, Baidhara Maiti attaked him on his chest with a big stone and he became dead. They also attacked their two sons Tukuna Sethi and Babu Sethi. Tukuna Sethi was severely injured. The assailants beaten up and outraged modesty of Nirmala Sethi, wife of the deceased, who is a handicapped lady. They also broke her aid. After that they destroyed all valuables such as TV, two mobile phones, two wheler vehicle and took away Rs.30,000/- from the house. At last they attempted to lock both mother and children in the house to set on file. On receiving the information police is reaching, they fled from the place.

During last two years, the deceased Narahari Sethi and his family members were repeatedly attacked by accused Dhira Rout and his co assailants. However, police did not take any action on the cases as mentioned below. The victims too did not receive any compensation from the district administration.

Ananthan (Aged 50) residing at Pollachi Colony in Coimbatore District belongs to a Hindu SC Arunthathiar Community. He is working as load man (Sanitary worker) in Pollachi Municipality Ward-4 and doing the work of loading the garbage into lorry for more than 35 years and his service was made permanent. The Health Inspectors are having a practice of collecting money and offer to the higher officials of Municipality. The said Ananthan refused to give money and Marimuthu, Karuppasamy and Rajendiran who are all working with him also refused to give money. The Health Inspectors are very angry towards this attitude and waited for a chance to victimize them.

In this situation, on 06.08.2014, the said Anandan asked for leave due to chest pain. The officials concerned refused to grant him leave and he worked with chest pain and loaded three load of garbage into the lorry and disposed it. When he loaded the fourth load he fell with giddiness due to the work pressure and chest pain. The lorry driver Marimuthu halted the lorry at its place and took Anandan to Pollachi Government hospital for treatment.   

Meanwhile, Mariappan, a Health Inspector instigated Selvaraj who belongs to the Udaiyar Community and a garbage lorry driver to take photo of the said lorry and send it to the Municipal Commissioner of Pollachi. He also did the same as per the instruction of said Maripappan. The Municipal Commissioner instituted a Departmental Enquiry and suspended Anandan from service for negligence in duty and creating bad name to the Municipality among the public. 

In this situation, while the said Anandan on the way to Ayyappan Temple Driver Selvaraj scolded him by using the filthy language and by caste name saying ‘see, we have victimized you as we desired. How can work antagonising the Health Inspector? Sakkili bastard, what you can do?’

In this regard, the victim Anandan preferred a complaint to the East Town Police Station authorities and a case was filed under the Prevention of SC/ST (Atrocities) Act 1989.  As usual the Police never arrested the accused and atlast Anandan lost his job and suffering a lot.   

Murder of Natraj and Negligence of Pramathi Police Station Officials in Karur

Natraj (30) s/o Raman, resident of Nedungur Kasba village, Aravakurichi taluk, Karur district, belongs to Dalit Arunthathiyar community. His wife name is Indumathi aged 22 and his daughter name is Kanishka (10 month old). He was working in Karudapalayam Aryan Tex Power Loom Company. On 23/06/2014 around 7.45 pm, he left the house for night shift job in the company in his TVS motor bike. On the way his bike collided with the bi-cycle belongs to one Manoharan alias Muniyan, resident of Vaalnayakkanpalayam, belonging to Dalit Paraiya community. On noticing this Prabhakaran S/o Manoharan and Manoharan’s son-in-law Senthil Kumar, belonging to Caste Hindu Mathari community instigated a brawl and brutally assaulted Natraj. Natraj sustained serious injuries and fell unconscious. Even after this brutal attack, Prabhakaran boastfully went to Natraj’s house and informed his wife Indhumathi that he and his brother-in-law Senthil Kumar assaulted Natraj as he dashed with Manoharan (father of Prabhakaran) who was riding in a bi-cycle and asked Rs. 5000 from Indumathi as a compensation for the accident. On noticing that Prabhakaran causing ruckus with Indumathi infront of her house, Natraj relatives namely Prakash, Senthil, Arulnathan, Peelantharan and Sivasubramani came to her rescue. Then Indumathi along with their relatives went to the place of incident and witnessed Natraj heavily bleeding over the nose and ear, and his head swelled badly. Natraj asked them to take to the house. Noticing the grievous wounds, they took him to the Pramathi Government Hospital. The doctors said that they can’t treat him in the hospital considering the grievous injuries and advised them to take to the Karur Apollo Hospital. Hence they admitted him in the Karur Apollo Hospital.

On 24/06/2014, The Pramathi Police Station officials visited the hospital and got a statement from Natraj’s wife Indumathi. The police failed to read out the statement to her. As Natraj’s family could not bear the expenses for this costly medical treatment, they shifted Natraj to the Madurai Government Hospital on 28/06/2014. On 30/06/2014, Natraj who remained speechless since 24^th June 2014, succumbed to the injuries and died.

While the Natraj family members were trying to save the life of Natraj, the perpetrators have not stopped the intimidations with the relatives of the family. The Pramathi Police officials visited the Karur Hospital on 24/06/2014, to get a statement from Indumathi. But the police was negligent to register the case and were found to be biased in favour of the perpetrators. On 25/06/2014, Natraj relatives namely Prakash and others visited the Pramathi Police Station to lodge a complaint. When Prakash narrated the incident, Pramathi Sub Inspector Mrs. Koushar Nisha refused to register the statement and verbally abused them, saying you sons of prostitutes! why you are telling lie that he was brutally assaulted. She claimed that he sustained the injuries due to the accident. She was negligent to register a case regarding this atrocity. On 26/06/2014, while Prakash, Senthil, Arulnathan and Peelanthran were sitting in the Village temple, Prabhakaran and Senthil abused for giving a complaint against them, saying that you Sakkili Prostitutes! How dare you lodge a complaint against us? They boastfully claimed that they only assaulted Natraj and now that Sakkili son of prostitute can’t even walk due to our attack. They threatened them saying, if you Sakkilis again lodge a complaint against us, we will kill and bury you Sakkilis. They arrogantly said that they can’t do anything against them. On 27/06/2014, Dalits of Nedungur village and relatives of Natraj went to the police station and lodged a complaint in the Pramathi police station regarding this brutal atrocity. Even then Pramathi Police Station failed to register the complaint. After the death of Natraj on 30/06/2014, family members of Natraj staged a road blockade with the dead body. Only after this protest, on 01/07/2014, the Pramathi Police station officials registered the FIR against the perpetrators under FIR No. 85/2014 u/s 294(b), 506(i) r/w 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(2)(va) of SC/ST PoA Amendment Ordinance 2014 and arrested both the perpetrators Prabhakaran and Senthil Kumar.

Before this brutal murder of Natraj, Prabhakaran had enimity with him. During the month of December Natraj asked Prabhakaran to paint his house for some agreed money within stipulated days. But Prabhakaran defaulted and took more days to complete the painting work. Hence Natraj paid him reducing Rs.1000 from the agreed amount as a penalty for the delay. Since then Prabhakaran was envious with Natraj.

FINDINGS:

• On 23/06/2014, Natraj was brutally assaulted by Prabhakaran and Senthil Kumar as Natraj who was riding TVS motor bike collided with Manoharan (father of Prabhakaran) who was riding a bicycle and also due to previous enmity. On 30/06/2014 Natraj died succumbing to the grievous injuries.


• The perpetrators Prabhakaran and Senthil Kumar after brutally assaulting Natraj, went to his house and boastfully informed his wife Indumathi that he and his brother-in-law Senthil Kumar (Caste Hindu Mathari Community) assaulted Natraj as he collided with his father’s bi-cycle. They asked Rs. 5000 from Indumathi as compensation for the accident.


• Indumathi and her relatives Prakash, Senthil, Arulnathan, Peelantharan and Sivasubramani went to the place of incident. On seeing the grievous injury they took him to the Pramathi Government Hospital. Considering the grievous injuries, doctors advised them to take him to the Karur Apollo Hospital. Hence they admitted him in the Karur Apollo Hospital.


• On 24/06/2014, Pramathi police officials visited Natraj to receive the statement. But Natraj remained in the state coma since the attack. Hence they got a statement from his wife Indumathi. Indumathi narrated the incident. But the police failed to read out the statement to her. Even after receiving the statement, the police were negligent to register the case and to arrest the perpetrators.


• Again on 25/06/2014, when relatives of Natraj namely Prakash, Palanisamy, Arulnathan, Peelantharan, Swaminathan and Sivasubramanian went to the Pramathi Police Station to lodge a complaint regarding this brutal atrocity, the Sub Inspector of Police Koushar Nisha allegedly abused them, saying sons of prostitutes! why you are telling lies that he was brutally assaulted? She claimed that Natraj sustained these grievous injuries due to accident.


• On 27/06/2014, The perpetrators Prabhakaran and Senthil Kumar, on knowing that relatives of Natraj and Indumathi namely Prakash, Palanisamy, Arulnathan, Peelantharan, Swaminathan and Sivasubramanian lodged a complaint against them, they verbally abused them saying, you sons of sakkili dogs! how dare you lodge a complaint against us? They boastfully told that they only beaten Natraj  and abused Natraj saying, now the Sakkili son of prostitute is unable to walk due to our attack.


• Even after commissioning this brutal atrocity, Prabhakaran and Senthil Kumar asked them to pay Rs. 5000 as compensation for the accident and they threatened them saying if you give complaint against us, we will kill and bury you sons of Sakkili prostitutes.


• In response to this intimidation and threat, on 27/06/2014, relatives of Natraj, Prakash, Palanisamy, Arulnathan, Peelantharan, Swaminathan and Sivasubramanian along with the other Dalits of the village went to the police station in a tempo van and lodged a complaint against the perpetrators. Even after this effort, the Pramathi police station was negligent to register the case and to arrest the perpetrators.


• In this midst, on 28/06/2014 Natraj was shifted to Madurai Government Hospital as his family could not bear the medical expenses. They have spent nearly Rs. 2 lakhs for the medical treatment. On 30/06/2014, Natraj succumbed to the injuries and died.


• On 30/06/2014, Indumathi, her relatives and the Arunthathiyars of the village staged a road blockade with the dead body of Natraj.  Only after the death of Natraj and after the protest, on 01/07/2014, the Pramathi Police officials register the FIR under FIR No. 85/2014 u/s 294(b), 506(i) r/w 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s) and 3(2)(va) of SC/ST PoA Amendment Ordinance 2014 and arrested both the perpetrators Prabhakaran and Senthil Kumar. Now Natraj’s daughter Indumathi and his 10 month old daughter Kanishka are left helpless without any economic and social security.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• The District Administration should provide adequate monetary compensation to the family of Natraj as per the provisions of the SC/ST PoA Act, 1989 and have to reimburse the medical expenses incurred for the medical treatment of Natraj as per Rules 11(7) of PoA Rules 1995.


• The District Administration should provide a Government Job to the Natraj’s wife Indumathi and should fund the full cost of Education and maintenance of Natraj’s Daughter as per the provisions of the SC/ST PoA Rules 1995.


• The Pramathi police station Sub Inspector Kausar Nisha, who failed to register the case, negligent to arrest the perpetrators and who allegedly abused the relatives of Natraj as ‘Sons of Prostitutes’ should be implicated under the appropriate sections 3(1)(r), 4(2)(a), 4(2)(b) and 4(2)(c) of the PoA Amendment Ordinance. The law and order Department should suspend her from the service for the abuse of power and negligence.


• The District Administration should provide adequate protection to the victim’s family from the perpetrators.