Chennai, Sept 22 (BPNS)

Shop keepers in Periya Manal town, Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu downed their shutters after a recent brawl between two scheduled caste students and the president of the local shop keepers association turned violent at Periya Manali in the town.

The issue commenced when Thangamani (58), president of Periya Manali traders association and a local AIADMK leader entered into a wordy duel with a truck driver over road rage. Thangamani, according to the police used abusive words against the truck driver who was questioned by two Class XII students of a local Scheduled Caste community.

The students asked Thangamani not to use abusive words which led to a duel between the children and the trader. Later the trader’s son Bhoobalan (29) and relative Sekhar reached the spot and attacked the students. Bhoobalan asked the boys to kneel down before Thangamani and to apologize.

Coming to know of this a few activists of a local Dalit outfit reached the spot and admitted the children to a hospital. Thangamani was also admitted to the hospital.

On receiving the complaint from the two boys, local police charged Thangamani, his son Bhoobalan and relative Sekhar under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.  Police also charged a case against the two boys on a complaint from Thangamani, Bhoobalan, and Sekhar.

The trader, his son, and the relative are absconding and Elachipalayam police told BPNS that an investigation is on. The Periya Manal local traders shut their shops on Thursday, September 22 against the attack on Thangamani.

It is to be noted that certain areas of Tamil Nadu have seen bloody clashes between caste Hindus and Dalits leading to the loss of lives for many people. The clashes have led to a sequence of killings and had even led to total social disharmony in these areas.