Six individuals have been booked under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Prevention of Atrocities (PoA) Act by the Madurai rural district police for allegedly assaulting a 17-year-old Dalit boy, subjecting him to caste-based abuse, and forcing him to fall at their feet. The incident, which took place on January 16 in Sangampatti village, was reported by the victim, who also alleged that the perpetrators urinated on him in front of a six-year-old child. Acting on his complaint, the Usilampatti Town police registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and provisions of the SC/ST PoA Act, including charges of criminal intimidation and humiliation of a person from a Scheduled Caste or Tribe.
The Neelam Cultural Centre, an NGO advocating for Dalit rights, condemned the incident and criticized the police for delaying the registration of the case. The organization highlighted the lack of immediate arrests and raised concerns about justice being served. On January 20, the victim, accompanied by members of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and an advocate, met with the Usilampatti Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to recount the ordeal. The boy revealed that he had faced caste-based harassment during a village festival the previous month and had left for Kerala out of fear. Upon returning home for Pongal, he was allegedly abducted, assaulted, and humiliated by the accused.
Madurai district Superintendent of Police (SP) BK Arvind stated that investigations were progressing and assured that the police had taken prompt action. However, law enforcement officials refuted the claim that the boy was urinated on, dismissing it as misinformation. The victim, however, insisted that he was brutally beaten and humiliated, leaving him with severe injuries that required hospitalization. The case has sparked outrage among Dalit rights groups and activists, who demand strict action against the accused.
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