Tirunelveli: In a shocking incident, six juveniles from a dominant caste allegedly attacked a 17-year-old Scheduled Caste student, who was studying in Class XI, and his younger sister with sickles at their home in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district on Wednesday night. A group of six to seven students gatecrashed into the house of the Dalit teen and attacked him with sickles. The incident happened when the Dalit teen student was taking dinner with his mother and younger sister on August 9 at around 10 pm. Before leaving the spot, the assailants hurled abusive and filthy language at them.
The mother of the victim, who tried to stop the attackers, was also kicked and beaten. The younger sister of the victim, who attempted to save her brother also sustained grievous injuries on her hand. Both the critically injured Dalit student and his sister have been undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital.
The Dalit teen, who is studying in a government-run school, was frequently bullied or teased on caste lines by the students of the dominant caste. Fed up with this, he stopped going to school. The mother of the victim student had informed the principal about the incident. Therefore, the six juveniles visited the victim student's house and attacked him. His younger sister was also grievously hurt when she tried to save him.
The incident has sparked massive outrage across Tamil Nadu. Decrying the caste attack, Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “What happened at Nanguneri is very shocking and unfortunate. This shows how deep the caste poison has percolated into the minds of young students.” “Those involved in the crime have been arrested. The law will take its own course,” MK Stalin.
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CM Stalin tweeted, "The incident is shocking. This shows how deeply caste poison has permeated even young students. It is intolerable to continue to hate the caste and differences without recognising our fellow man as our equal and to express such hatred violently. Those involved in the crime have been arrested. The law will do its duty properly".
Also, the CM insisted, "At the same time, let us all make it our duty to inculcate social harmony in the minds of the students. I request the teaching community in particular to inculcate such virtues. No success can be achieved by those who have a hateful mind. The younger society should realise that there should be no hatred and prejudice among us," he tweeted.
Furthermore, the CM said, “I appeal to the teaching community to come forward and inculcate the values of social harmony among the students. It is an onerous task on teachers and they should take them as a duty also to create a feeling of togetherness among students."
Explaining further the CM said,"No success can be achieved when the mind is full of hatred and is prejudiced. After all, we are the children of the same mother by virtue of the spoken language." On the other hand, School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh announced that he would bear the medical and educational expenses of the students, who were brutally attacked."
