On 2.12.2019 as many as 17 dalits Including three children and 11 women (belongs to Arunthathiyar community) crushed to death as wall collapses following incessant rains in Dalit colony, ward no 33 of Nadur colony in Mettupalayam Coimbatore district. Residents said that the around 5.00 a.m a 22 feet wall raised around the property belonging to a dominant caste business man Sivasubramanian (60 yrs) fell on three titled-roof houses of schedule communities. The wall was constructed with casteist intention to prevent the movement of dalits and could not tolerate the dwellings of the SC communities. Moreover the real intention of the accused was in order to evict the Arunthathiyar communities people he had been harassing the residents by leaking the sewage water through the wall. Hence it was an outright caste atrocity incident.
In this situation the civil rights groups and affected family members staged a peaceful demonstration in a democratic manner on 2.12.2019 around 4 p.m inside the Mettupalaym government hospital demanded justice, sought the immediate arrest the owner and to provide 25 lakhs compensation for each deceased persons. In order to get justice for the affected the Advocate Thiruvalluvan director and some members of Tamil Puligal katchi extended their solidarity emphasizing the people’s demand. At this juncture under the head of The DSP Mr.Mani Periynayakkampalayam assaulted the protestors with lathis and hit with boots who were staging public protest peacefully. Not only were these protestors were abused in caste name by the police. Particularly the police resorted to manhandling the advocate cum human rights defenders and arrested 25 persons for leading the protest.
Mr.Thiruvalluvan was one of the 25 members who were arrested on December 2 nd after staging a protest against the death of 17 people in Mettupalayam. The protesters were granted conditional bail my Mettupalayam Judicial magistrate on December 6th evening. The stone pelting case was registered under section 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of Indian penal code and provisions of the Tamil Nadu property (prevention of Damages and Loss)(TNPPDL) act.
In the SC/ST new amendment act 2015 under section 15(A) stressed that an advocate, NGO or people’s movement can work in the place of atrocity site. In addition sections have stated that the concerned district collector and superintendent of police should give fullest cooperation to them.
In this situation the officials were insensitive and intentionally handled the human rights defenders with caste initiation. This is a blatant human rights violation.
Intervention
- Fact finding formed a federation with various civil rights groups and defenders (including minority organizations) against atrocity.
- On 4.12.2019 Press conference and on 5.12.2019 press meet was organized by federation and fact finding report was distributed to the media to condemn the wall of discrimination and inaction of the police in this incident.
- Met the district collector and Superintendent of police and submitted a petition on behalf of the affected family members with various demands
It was a wall of discrimination:
