Intercaste marriage triggers tension in Dharmapuri district

DHARMAPURI: Dharmapuri district, known to strongly resent intercaste marriages, is again witness to a similar predicament following the marriage of an OBC ‘Vanniar girl’ with a Dalit boy of her village.

In the latest instance, 20-year-old M.Priyanka of Nallampalli village in the district was studying in a private Arts and Science College in Thiruchengode in Namakkal district. On Friday, the girl went to college but did not return home.
Her worried father Jagadeeshan gave a ‘girl missing complaint’ in the Athiyamankottai police station. Investigation revealed that the Priyanka had gone with her 22-year-old lover, M. Raj Kumar, a Dalit boy, who is also native of her village.

The Athyamankottai police registered a case of abduction against Raj Kumar based on the petition given by the Priyanka’s father. The police also asked the villagers to be calm till Priyanka was traced.

Meanwhile, Priynaka’s 23-year-old elder brother Vijayan upset because of his sister allegedly marrying out of their caste went to the Dalit settlement and attacked three people including two women. They were admitted here in the Dharmapuri government medical college and hospital on Monday. The Dalit youth are angry because of Vijayan attacking their relatives and planned to retaliate against ‘Vanniars’ which could have led to a major caste clash. Luckily, that was prevented by the timely intervention of the police. Around 30 petrol bombs were also confiscated from the Dalit group.

Two separate cases were registered for the incidents. An FIR was filed against Vijayan and his relative M. Aravind, 21, for allegedly attacking Dalits. Another FIR was registered against the village Dalits for allegedly possessing petrol bombs “in a plan to attack Vanniars”.

The DSP, Mr. T.Gandhi when explaining about the incident said, “police acted based on the local intelligence inputs when both the parties were holding talks to find the missing girl. They were taken to the police station and case registered after receiving the complaint from the girl’s father.”

He added, “around 200 policemen were posted in Nallampalli to prevent any untoward incidents. Two cases were registered. One registered against the girl’s relatives and another against the Dalit youth. Thirty petrol bombs were also recovered.”

This is the second incident in recent years in which an inter-caste marriage has become a serious issue in Dharmapuri. Earlier in 2012, a Vanniyar girl Divya marrying the Dalit Ilavarasan, had triggered a caste clash in which over 200 Dalit houses had been set ablaze in Natham colony in the district. Divya’s relatives then angry because of death by suicide of her father Nagaraj, staged an attack against Dalit houses leading to caste clash then.