The Shri Dharmaraja Draupathi Amman temple in Melpathi village, which was closed for over a year following an incident involving the assault of a Dalit family, was reopened on Thursday, following a Madras High Court order. The temple had been sealed on June 7, 2023, after the attack on four Dalit family members, who were allegedly assaulted by caste Hindus for attempting to enter the temple during a festival on April 7, 2023. The closure lasted for almost a year and 10 months.
The reopening took place early on Thursday morning, with the authorities announcing the temple’s opening for public worship at 6 am. Initially, a few caste Hindus entered the temple, followed by around 80 Dalits, who were accompanied by ADSP V Thirumal and other police officials for protection. The temple was supposed to close at 7 am but remained open for an additional 45 minutes until 7:45 am.
After the Dalit worshippers exited, a group of caste Hindu women began to shout and verbally abuse them, claiming it was unfair for them to enter the temple. Three elderly women were detained by the police for causing a disturbance, but they were later released after the community members apologized.
Manivel, a member of the caste Hindu community and the DMK panchayat president, stated that his community would enter the temple the next day, in adherence to the court’s order, regardless of any objections. He said that the community must comply with the legal ruling.
A Dalit resident also expressed his concerns, saying the community had to follow the court’s order but was unsure of what would happen in the future, noting that police presence couldn’t be guaranteed indefinitely for protection.
“We aren’t sure of what is going to happen. The police can’t always be here for our protection. We entered today for the sake of court order, but we all know the reality,” he told The New Indian Express.
