3000 Dalits decide to convert to Islam in Mettupalayam | Photo Credit: Times Now

Key Highlights Seventeen members of the Dalit community in Mettupalayam lost their lives after a 20-feet tall wall collapsed over their tiled roof houses The wall was built by a local textile shop owner of dominant who allegedly wanted to isolate the Dalit residents from his property’s premises The residents of the colony had complained several times about the wall’s instability but the authorities paid no heed to their apprehensions

Coimbatore: Nearly 3000 Dalits, in Coimbatore district’s Mettupalayam, have decided to convert to Islam and denounce Hinduism on January 5, 2020.

The decision was announced by an organisation named Tamil Puligal who has been demanding justice for 17 Dalits who died after an untouchability wall collapsed in Mettupalayam.

On December 2, in the early hours, a huge 20 feet tall, 2 feet wide and 80 feet long stone wall fell down on tiled-roof houses of Dalits of AT colony in Mettupalyam, owing to torrential rainfall.

Seventeen people that included 11 women and 3 children, were crushed to death after the compound wall collapsed. Reportedly the wall was erected by a local textile shop owner belonging to a dominant caste. Allegedly, he got the wall constructed in order to isolate the Dalit residential locality from the premises of his property.

A PTI report said that the next day the textile shop owner was arrested by the police on charges of causing death by negligence. According to the reports a case has been registered against him under Indian Penal Code section 304 A.

Later, the residents of the colony staged a protest demanding justice. Allegedly the police resorted to brutal repression against them in which the leader of Tamil Puligal was manhandled and arrested.

The leader of Tamil Puligal continues to languish in jail for protesting against the issue, while the accused textile shop owner who erected the wall is out on bail.

The residents of the AT Colony have always objected against the wall because of its instability. They were fearful that some tragedy might happen. Several times in the past years, they have complained to the authorities that the wall is a threat to their safety. But the authorities paid no head to their complaints and the wall collapsed claiming 17 lives.