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TIRUPUR: A dalit woman and her 19-year-old daughter were allegedly forced by a kangaroo court to fall at the feet of people belonging to the Gounder community near Kangeyam in Tirupur district. The woman's husband and son had to watch the humiliation the women were subjected to.

The kangaroo court was convened by the Gounders following an altercation after a goat belonging to the dalit family strayed into a farm.

The dalit family has petitioned collector K S Palanisamy seeking protection. They expressed concern that none of five accused was arrested even 12 days after an FIR was filed. They also demanded that the accused be booked under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act too.

V Sakthivel and S Devi who belonged to the Arunthathiyar community had a piece of agricultural land at Theethampalayam in Paranchervali panchayat. Their daughter and 18-year-old son worked in a garment knitwear unit and simultaneously pursued diploma courses.

In the first week of February, after one of their three goats strayed onto her land, Sarasu, a Gounder, came to their house, abused Devi and made casteist remarks. Devi’s daughter objected, but Devi apologised to Sarasu and assured her their goats will never stray intoher land.

On February 15, Somu, also a Gounder, called Sakthivel on the phone around 10pm and asked him to bring hisdaughter tothekangaroocourt. When Sakthivel refused, he was threatened. So, he took his family to the kangaroo court at Shanmugampalayam, a neighbouring village.

“When we reached there, around 15 Gounder men and women were present. They alleged my daughter had abused Sarasu and that she should fall at their feet or pay a fine of ₹5,000. When I explained what had actually transpired, they refused to accept it, even when I stepped over my Maarappucheelai (part of thesari) to prove my point,” Devi, 40, told toi.

“With folded hands, my husband begged them to spare us, and myson askedthem why mydaughter shouldfall at their feetwhen theissuewas already settled. Atthisjuncture some of them came towards my son menacingly. When I triedtoshakethem off, I got hit on the head. To save myson, mydaughter and I fell at their feet many times,” saidDevi.

The family called police emergency helpline, but in vain. Later, they lodged a complaint with the Kangeyam police who booked Sarasu, Sekar, Manohar, Kavin and Senthil under the IPC, and the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Act, 2015.

“Though the nondalits had been convening the kangaroo court often, this was the first time such an inhuman practice has occurred in the Paranchervali panchayat. It should be dealtwithsternly,” said RKavi of Puratchikara Ilaignar Munnani.

Kangeyam deputy superintendent of police R Krishnasamy told TOI that, “It has not yet been ascertained whether the dalitswere forcedtofall at the feet of the non-dalits. Moreover, it is not true that the complainants were facing threatstotheir lives.”

