Sit-in protest over violence against Dalits in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district

Angered by the death of two Dalits at Kachanatham village near Manamadurai in Sivaganga district on Monday night, a group of villages staged a sit-in protest on Panagal Road here on Tuesday.

The protesters, numbering over one hundred, demanded justice for the deceased.

They claimed that they had been continuously subjected to atrocities at the hands of caste Hindus and the police had not initiated any appropriate action against the perpetrators.

The protesters demanded the arrest of the 15-member gang, which brutally attacked the Dalits with hatchets, killing two in the process.

They said that the government should provide compensation to the family of the deceased and the injured and a government job to at least one member of each family.

The police should ensure safety of the villagers, they demanded. S. Murugavel Rajan, former MLA and founder, Makkal Viduthalai Katchi, addressed the protesters.

Six of those who were injured in the brutal attack were admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital here.

Five surrender

Meanwhile, five of the accused — Ajaydevan, Suman, Arunkumar, Agni and Rajesh — surrendered before the IV Judicial Magistrate C. R. Gowthaman here.

The court ordered that they be produced before the Manamadurai court on June 1.