Dalits in Perumpalli village near Perundurai in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district were allegedly forced to fall at the feet of dominant caste residents to seek permission to bury a relative at a common burial ground on October 5.
The incident occurred after residents allegedly blocked a Dalit family from taking the body of 90-year-old Senni to the burial ground, claiming that Dalits could not be buried there.
According to The Times of India, police have registered a case against some members of the dominant community under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Erode Superintendent of Police D V Kiran Shruti said the case was registered by Thingalur police following a complaint from revenue officials. Additional sections would be added depending on the findings of the inquiry, she said.
Gobichettipalayam Deputy Superintendent of Police Srinivasan has been assigned to investigate the case.
Dalits Allegedly Denied Access to Common Burial Ground
Dalits in Perumpalli have been using a burial ground in Thingalur panchayat, around four kilometres away, after allegedly being denied access to the common burial ground by dominant caste residents.
After Senni, the father of Kaliyappan, died on October 5, his family decided to take his body to the common burial ground because the burial ground in Thingalur had run out of space.
Anticipating resistance, the family informed the police. Police personnel, revenue officials and village panchayat staff arrived at the village.
However, as the family and other Dalit residents attempted to take the body to the common burial ground, a group of non-Dalit residents allegedly blocked their way. The group was reportedly led by a man identified as Rithuvarman.
Despite repeated pleas, the residents refused to allow the burial, according to the allegations.
Dalit residents also alleged that police personnel present at the scene did not intervene to prevent their humiliation.
‘We Fell at Their Feet and Pleaded’
M Kumar, a Dalit resident, told The Times of India that two people from the community fell at the feet of the non-Dalit residents and pleaded for permission to bury Senni.
“In a desperate attempt to ensure a decent burial, two of us fell at the feet of the non-Dalits and pleaded for permission to bury the body,” Kumar said.
He alleged that the police did not take action to prevent the humiliation.
Perundurai Tahsildar C Selvakumar said he had submitted a preliminary report to Erode District Collector S Kandasamy.
He said the family was eventually able to bury Senni at the common burial ground after officials intervened.
“We are inquiring into the allegations of some residents being forced to fall at the feet of some others,” Selvakumar said.
The inquiry is ongoing, and further action will depend on its findings.
