Brutal attack on an (Dalit)Arundhatiyar in Anupar Palayam, Sathyamangalam Taluk, Erode. District

Brutal attack on an (Dalit)Arundhatiyar in Anupar Palayam, Sathyamangalam Taluk, Erode. District: September 13, 2009
Anupar Palayam is a village in Sathyamangalam Block in Erode District. There are around sixty Arundhatiyar families who in this village in extreme poverty, having no land and working as bonded laborers’ on the upper caste communities’ farms. The upper caste community mostly comprises of the landlords from the Naikkar community.
Mr.Chinnagurunathan, an arundhatiyar aged 50 years, works as an agricultural labour in this village. He lives with his wife and two children. On September 13, 2009, in the evening an one old arundhatiyar woman passed away. Her funeral was arranged at the village temple. One Mr.Chinnagurunathan told the family not to arrange the funeral at the temple since it is a place of worship. After some time one Mr.Selvaraj, a upper caste community leader came at the temple and started beating Chinnagurunathan by a stick without even making any enquiry. He used foul language and showered abuses on Chinnagurunathan. Mr.Chinnagurunathan received severe injuries on his head, left eye and legs. He was admitted in a private hospital in Sathyamangalam. Later he was taken to Gobichettipalayam Government Hospital and then referred for further treatment at Coimbatore Government hospital on 24th to 27th Sept 2009.
A case of atrocities upon Chinnagurunathan was filed in the Sathyamangalam Police Station on 14th Sept bearing number FIR No.667/2009/ Act SC/ST 3(I)(10) and IPC 324. Till now the perpetrator has not been arrested.
Findings
1. Arundhtiyar community face discrimination at the hands of the upper caste community mainly the Naikkars. The discriminative practices are violative of the fundamental rights of the arundhatiyar community. The Arunthathiyer are not allowed to sit on the mat , chair ,cot or any place near the upper caste person’s house, land or his environment. The arunthathiyers have to remain standing in the presence of an upper caste person.
2. The discrimination against the arundhatiyar community is so deep rooted that till today a two glass system exists in the village
3. Arunthathiyers are not allowed to ride a bicycle and if they do happen to have one, then they have to get down the bicycle as soon as they spot a person from upper caste community.
4. The use of the river in the village is restricted for the arundhatiyars. They are not allowed to use the river water for their daily needs.
5. The schools miday meals scheme for children is also infested with discrimination against arundhatiyar children-the arundhatiyar children are provided the meals in a separate queue than the children from the upper caste community.
6. The ICDS centres does not provide dishes for the Arunthathiyer children.
7. In the government run buses, the Arunthathiyer are not allowed to sit in the presence of an upper caste person or child.
8. In the village not a single arundhatiyar person us enrolled under the NREG scheme.
recommendations:
1. The perpetrator of the brutal attack on Chinnagurunathan has to be arrested immediately.
2. The Police department is required to take prevention action in Arundhatiyar communities and villages as per the SC/ST Act
3. The victim have to be provided with compensation and protection as per SC/ST Act
4. The District Education department needs to take immediate action to prevent the discrimination in school and ICDS centres against Arundhatiyar children
5. The Dsitrict administration needs to ensure that all Arundhatiyar adults in need of employment are provided benefits under the NREG scheme