TN Police to invoke SC/ST Act to bar entry to accused in village

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Police will invoke the provisions of the Scheduled Caste/ Scheduled Tribe (Atrocities) Act to prevent two accused, who had discriminated against the children on caste basis, to enter the Panjakulam village in Tenkasi district.

Tamil Nadu Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Asra Garg took the steps to invoke the provisions.

If the special court that handles the SC/ST cases approves the decision of the police to evoke the provisions of the SC/ST Act, then the duo will be barred from entering the village for three years.

The Karivalamvanthanallur police arrested a shopkeeper Maheswaran for not selling snacks and candies to school children belonging to the Scheduled Caste community. The village chief Ramachandran was also arrested.

The duo was arrested after the video of Maheswaran denying snacks and candies to the children due to their caste went viral on social media.

Tension erupted in the Panjankulam village following a clash between caste Hindus and members of the SC community at a wedding function. This snowballed into a major issue leading to police registering cases against people from both sides. A Caste Hindu, Ramachandran (20) was to appear for recruitment for a defence post, but due to the police case registered against him, he could not attend the recruitment test. This led to the caste Hindus deciding not to give anything from their shops to the Scheduled Caste people and Maheswaran did not sell snacks and candies due to this diktat.

Police have already conducted a peace meeting between the two communities.