Vellanur Dalits still have no access to crematorium
Despite getting a place for the crematorium, there was no proper pathway to it and so the landlord allowed them to carry the dead along his paddy field.
Residents of Ramanathapuram village in Vellanur panchayat carry the dead through paddy field
TIRUCHY: Dalit residents from a village in Tiruchy have been fighting for more than 30 years for a pathway to the crematorium as they have no option but to carry the dead along a paddy field.
According to sources, there are more than 3,000 Dalit residents residing at Ramanathapuram village in Vellanur panchayat near Pullambadi, who had no access to their crematorium.
It is said, initially, they had no proper crematorium and so a landlord from the locality donated a piece of land for the purpose around 30 years ago.
Despite getting a place for the crematorium, there was no proper pathway to it and so the landlord allowed them to carry the dead along his paddy field.
As time passed, the land close to the crematorium came into the ownership of the grandsons of the landlord and they refused to give way to carry the dead along the field.
Since then, the Dalit residents have approached the officials to get them access to the crematorium but their demand was not fulfilled so far.
Meanwhile, on Friday, a 70-year-old woman resident from Ramanathapuram village died and the relatives carried the body along the particular field but they were denied permission and this triggered tension among the residents.
On information, Vignesh, the tahsildar of Lalgudi, along with the other revenue staff rushed to the spot and held talks with the land owners and appealed to them to allow the residents to carry the body.
After repeated talks, the owners allowed them to go to the crematorium. However, the villagers demanded a permanent solution to the issue.
