Dalit village assistant prostrates before man; Coimbatore collector orders probe

COIMBATORE: Coimbatore district collector G S Sameeran has constituted a committee to conduct an inquiry into an incident in which a dalit staff member of a village administrative office prostrated before a non-dalit man. The collector ordered police to register a case. The collector took these steps after a video of the incident surfaced online.
The inquiry committee is headed by district revenue officer Leela Alex. Superintendent of police S Selvanagarathinam and Leela Alex began inquiries.

Muthusamy, 56, who is working as a village assistant at the office of village administrative officer at Odderpalayam near Annur, prostrated before K Gopalsamy, 38, of Gobirasipuram near Pogalur on Friday.
Gopalsamy visited the VAO office to check some land documents. He argued with VAO Kalaiselvi who asked him to produce valid documents to check the property details. Gopalsamy was involved in a heated argument with the VAO. Muthusamy intervened. Gopalsamy got angry and allegedly abused the village assistant by using his caste name. Muthusamy allegedly slapped Gopalsamy. Gopalsamy threatened Muthusamy and asked him to prostrate before him.
Muthusamy prostrated before Gopalsamy. An onlooker recorded the incident on a mobile phone.
Gopalsamy lodged a complaint with Annur police. He demanded action against the VAO Kalaiselvi and the village assistant. The police issued a receipt after accepting the complaint.