Dalit Man Beaten and Burned with Kerosene, Dying 6 Days Later

avery · #1 ● 05-11-2022, 04:04 PM

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Villupuram dist. – Kandamangalam union – Periyababusamuthiram colony – Dalit youth Sathish (23) was working as a daily laborer raised by his widowed mother. On New Year’s Eve (31.12.16) Dalits from the colony were celebrating new year. An issue broke out between Dalits and caste Hindus regarding the celebrations. On 4.1.17 late evening Sathish went to nearby Rasaputhirapalayam lake. At around 10 pm Sathish knocked the door of his friend. They found Sathish naked and his upper body completely burnt. He was taken to Ariyur private hospital for first aid and later shifted to Pondichery JIPMER.

In his dying declaration before a magistrate Sathish said that he was attacked by some unknown men. They covered his face with his own lungi. He was tied to an electric pole and beaten. Later they poured kerosene over him and burnt him alive. He somehow ran towards his friend’s house nearby and escaped. On 5.1.17 the Kandamangalam police refused to file the complaint of Sathish’s mother who demanded action against the casteist gang who attaempted to murder his son. Liberation panthers blocked the Villupuram Pondichery highway demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and condemning inaction by SI Ravichandran, who acted in support of the casteist culprits.

On 6.1.17 Sathish succumbed to his injuries. Liberation Panthers led by general secretary Sinthanai Selvan protested with the police for immediate action but the police filed a case of suspicious death instead of murder under Prevention of Atrocities Act. The police claimed that Sathish died from accident injuries he sustained by climbing the electric pole, whereas electricity department officials denied such scenario.