Chennai, March 8 (BPNS)
The Tamil movie ‘ Jai Bhim’ which depicts the torture and trauma faced by an innocent Irular youth, Rajakannu, in police custody and eventually getting killed by the police atrocities cannot be watched without shedding a tear.
While Rajakannu, who was working in a brick kiln was tortured mercilessly by Police and succumbed to death was a real-life incident that took place in Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu in 1995, the Irular community of the same district, who are now organized wants the police to leave alone three of their community members who are in police custody.
The Iruvar Protection Rights Organisation of Tindivanam demanded the Villupuram district administration to revoke the arrest of three Scheduled Tribe, Irular men arrested by police on charge of theft.
The organization in a statement said, Three men, E. Ramachandran (40), E. Pandiyan (29), and A. Kumar (35) who were working in brick kilns in Cuddalore were allegedly arrested by the police on February 26 without revealing the arrest details to their families.
A formal complaint was filed by the organization to the District Superintendent of Police, Villupuram on March 2nd.
Police however denied that the three were innocent and said that the arrest was recorded on the wee hours of March 2 and that four more men were booked in the same case.
A social activist working among the Irular community, Kalyani while speaking to BPNS said, “ There was evidence of these men working at the brick kiln at the same time when the theft had taken place. How is it possible for them to be involved in the theft at the same time?”
Ramesh, President of the Irular movement in the statement said, “The police are continuing their atrocities against the hapless Irulas who belong to the ST communities and are living in a meager manner by working in brick kilns and at times collecting forest produce and leading a nomadic life. Why are police zeroing on this poor community foisting false charges.”
He also called upon the Tamil Nadu government to intervene in the matter as they suspect police atrocities against ST communities.
Police however said that the men were arrested after confirmation of evidence and that only in a court of law this could now be challenged.
