CHENNAI: The Madras high court has directed the authorities to keep in cold storage, the dead body of a dalit, which was found in a well in Erode district allegedly after an agitation against Caste Hindus, at government hospital in Coimbatore till March 28.
Passing interim orders on a petition from C Balasubramanian, son of the deceased Chinnasamy, seeking second post mortem on the body of his father, Justice T Mathivanan said the authorities shall not threaten the petitioner to take the dead body till then.
After additional government pleader P Sanjaigandhi sought time to get instructions, the judge posted to March 28 furthering hearing of the case.
According to petitioner, after S Krishan, a dalit was assaulted by Caste Hindus (Gounders) at Kizhakkupudhu colony on March 10, a case was registered by the police. But the police did not arrest any one.
Therefore, the dalit people in the area led by his father conducted agitation demanding the arrest of those involved in the brutal attack on Krishnan. As the agitation continued, a peace meeting was held in the office of the RDO. However, the official refused to accept the demand of dalits but insisted them to withdraw the case.
They assured that no such atrocities would happen thereafter. However, his father and other dalit people refused to yield to their pressure and took a decision not to work under the Caste Hindus.
Aggrieved, the caste Hindus came to their area, threatened them and shouted at them in filthy language. In these circumstances, on March 19, his father left their house for watering a field belonging to one Thasampudhur Milkarar, where his father was working.
At about 7 p.m. he was informed that his father dead body was lying in a well which was located in the field. After the police personnel took out the body, he noticed that his father’s neck was strangulated with a towel.
There was no chance for his father to commit suicide and fell into a well as he knew swimming and as such, he was done to death by somebody. The officials compelled him and other relatives to affix signature for post mortem and conducted the same in a haste manner.
The police registered an FIR under suspicious death. The police not even bothered to interrogate the caste Hindus. Therefore, he apprehends that they would use their influence for getting the postmortem report in their favour, he added.
