TN | Six booked for assaulting SC teen, making him fall at their feet in Madurai

The Usilampatti police in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai district booked six persons for reportedly assaulting a Scheduled Caste (SC) teenager and forcing him to prostrate before them, a police official said on Monday (January 20).

The police action followed a complaint preferred by the 19-year-old boy in connection with an incident that occurred on January 16, the official said. The case was registered under sections 296 (b), and 351 (2) of BNS, besides 3 (1) (r) and 3 (1) (s) of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

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Stayed out of village

In his complaint, the teenager from Sankampatti in Usilampatti said that the accused took offence when he walked in the village with his dhoti folded at the knees during the Purattasi festival, a few months ago. This was followed by an argument that led to a clash between them.

Apprehending further trouble, the complainant stayed out of the village for some days and returned home for the Pongal festival holidays but only to be ‘forcibly’ taken to a remote place in the village and assaulted, the police said.

The assailants reportedly made casteist remarks and physically attacked him, police added. The complainant claimed that he was forced to prostrate before each of the six persons and was allowed to go with a stern warning, police further said.

In a statement, the police claimed that the case was registered based on the teenager’s complaint and denied that the suspects had urinated on him. Further investigation was on.

(With agency inputs)