TIRUNELVELI: A 17-year-old youth was brutally assaulted by a group of upper-caste individuals in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district on Monday evening, after he allegedly asked them to drive carefully on the road. The victim, Manoj Kumar, a second-year polytechnic student, was attacked with sickles and beer bottles at his home. Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the assault, while police continue to search for additional suspects.
The incident unfolded after Kumar had a brief confrontation with the group earlier in the day. While walking home, Kumar reportedly warned the occupants of a car for driving recklessly near him. This led to a verbal altercation, which was eventually diffused by local residents. Kumar continued his walk home, unaware that the altercation would escalate later that evening.
In the hours following the argument, Kumar was alone at his home in the village of Melapattam. His parents, who work as a mason and in a local eatery, were away at work when the group of assailants, numbering at least six, barged into the house. The attackers, armed with sickles, savagely assaulted Kumar, striking him on his head and legs. They also smashed empty beer bottles on his head, leaving him bleeding heavily.
Kumar’s mother, Suganthi, described the horrific attack, saying, “There was no previous enmity between us and them. My son was attacked simply because he asked them to drive more carefully. It is terrifying to think that people like us have no safety in our own homes.” Kumar sustained multiple head and leg injuries and was rushed to Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.
Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the attack. CCTV footage from the area shows six individuals arriving at the scene on two motorcycles. A police officer confirmed, “We have arrested four suspects, and a team is currently searching for the remaining two. A case has been registered against them under several sections, including the Prevention of Atrocities (SC/ST) Act.”
The attack has sparked concern as it is seen as part of a growing pattern of caste-based violence in the region. Kumar belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC), while his attackers are from the Maravar caste, categorized as Other Backward Classes (OBC).
This incident mirrors a similar case in August 2023, when a 17-year-old Dalit boy, Chinnadurai, was murdered by his classmates, who were from the Maravar community. This shocking crime led the Tamil Nadu government to form a committee under retired Justice K. Chandru to find ways to prevent caste violence, particularly among students. The caste divisions in the region are stark, with students often identifying strongly with caste markers, and caste-related violence has been on the rise in recent years.
Residents of Tirunelveli have expressed alarm at the continuing incidents of caste-based violence, which have led to growing tensions and fears within the Dalit community.
