The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday took suo motu cognizance of a reported assault on a Scheduled Caste (SC) student by upper-caste boys in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. The commission has issued notices to the Director General of Police (DGP) and the District Collector of Thoothukudi, demanding a detailed report within four weeks.
According to reports, a Class XI student was attacked while travelling on a bus to appear for an exam. The assailants, allegedly from an upper-caste background, dragged him out and assaulted him with a sickle, severing fingers on his left hand. His father, who tried to intervene, was also beaten.
According to Thoothukudi police, the victim was a Dalit and belonged to Ariyanayagapuram village near Srivaikuntam of Thoothukudi district. He was attacked by three youths belonging to the dominant caste of the nearby village.
Sharing details, the police said, “The Class 11 boy identified as Devandhira Raj, who was on his way to school on the bus, was pushed by three outside the moving bus and was attacked with a sickle near Kattarimangalam, who then ran away from the spot. The boy was severely injured in the incident and was taken to the nearby hospital for first aid.”
His father, Thanga Ganesh, affirmed the caste angle in the crime. “Three men, who belonged to the Thevar community from the next village, attacked him. This is a caste-related crime. We are from the SC (Scheduled Caste) community,” he stated.
The Police probe revealed that one of the attackers was identified as Lakshmanan (19). He was accompanied by two other youths. Lakshmanan was arrested, and the two others were detained.
The victim was rushed to Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital, where doctors performed a seven-hour surgery to reattach his fingers.
The NHRC stated that the incident, if verified, constitutes a serious human rights violation. The commission has sought reports from authorities on action taken against the accused, medical treatment provided to the victim, and measures to prevent such incidents.
The victim’s brother claimed the attack was caste-motivated, alleging that the accused had previously harassed the family. Meanwhile, political leaders and Dalit rights groups have condemned the attack, demanding swift justice.
Viduthala Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) Chief MP Thirumavalvan has condemned the incident and called on the Tamil Nadu government to take decisive action to prevent caste-based attacks on Dalits, particularly in Southern Tamil Nadu. Thirumavalvan claimed that the attack on the Dalit boy was a result of vengeance from dominant caste youths.
“Just days before the incident, Devandhira Rajan and his friends won a Kabaddi tournament representing Ariyanayagapuram village, defeating Kattiamalpuram village. They celebrated their victory with the trophy, but unable to accept the defeat, the dominant caste youths attacked Rajan and his friends as an act of revenge,” Thirumavalvan said in a statement.
Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
 on Tuesday took suo motu cognizance of a reported assault on a Scheduled Caste (SC) student by upper-caste boys in Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu){kind=link}