SC residents allege social boycott near Gingee, Villupuram

VILLUPURAM: Residents of Modaiyur village in Gingee taluk alleged social boycott by caste Hindus in the village by denying them access to drinking water for more than five days in the past week. However, sources from the village said on Sunday that the issue was resolved after a complaint was filed at the police station.

S Selvakumar (40), an SC resident of Mudaiyur village, said, "I was working in my agricultural field on May 17, when three men from dominant caste, who were from the nearby village of Kammandhur, questioned me for cutting out thorny bushes in my field and as we were arguing, they punched me in the face and abused me by using casteist slur. I fainted as I was bleeding from the nose and was admitted in the Gingee government hospital. I file a complaint in the Gingee police station, but they didn't file a case till today."

According to sources, a few days after the issue, caste Hindus had allegedly prevented drinking water access to the SC residents in Mudaiyur. A 50-year-old resident from Kammandhur alleged that since the SC residents had approached the police, they were not willing to provide them drinking water. “The issue was not filed as a complaint as well,” alleged advocate K Ezhilmaran, who is representing Selvakumar.

Ezhilmaran further said, "Police had not filed a case in the issue until now. The caste Hindus did not provide water for over five days in the last week and even then a case was not filed. So, we approached the SP office on Saturday and filed a petition and the caste Hindus finally provided drinking water access on Sunday."

Residents of Mudiayur demanded that a case should be filed against the caste Hindus under SC/ST PoA Act for denying drinking water access to the residents of Mudaiyur. Police sources said that the issue will be probed and case will be filed after investigation.