Widespread stir by VCK over Dalit youth murder

CHENNAI: Condemning the murder of two Dalit youth in Arakkonam, the VCK took out protests in several districts on Saturday. Leading a protest in front of Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said that the murder was pre-planned. “So far, 20 people have been booked in connection to Arjunan’s and Surya’s murder.

The Goondas Act must be invoked against all of them. Not implementing the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is the reason for the continuation of casteist attacks in Tamil Nadu,” Thirumavalavan told reporters following the agitation. Later in the day, he took part in a demonstration at Muthu Kadai in Ranipet district, and blamed the PMK for the murder.

“There were political motives behind the murder. It was an outcome of political and caste rivalry,” he said. The VCK leader demanded a fair probe and arrest of the perpetrators under the Goondas Act. VCK general secretary and Villupuram Lok Sabha MP D Ravikumar demanded government jobs for the kin of the murdered duo. He was leading a protest near Swadesi Mill on Maraimalai Adigal Road in Puducherry.

In Villupuram, around 500 VCK cadre, led by VCK district secretary Cheran, staged a protest opposite the Collectorate. In Ariyalur, functionaries of VCK staged a protest near the Anna statue. The youth were murdered on Wednesday following a clash that broke out between groups of Dalits and Vanniyars.

(With inputs from Ranipet, Villupuram, Ariyalur & Puducherry)