Thol. Thirumavalavan condemns brutal killing of a Dalit Youth in Tiruchengode and a Muslim Youth in Pallikonda Police Station
A racist gang of caste hindus had kidnapped and beheaded a Dalit engineering graduate, Gokulraj in Tiruchengode of Namakkal District (Tamil Nadu, on 23rd June 2015). This is a planned murder by the gang which could not tolerate the Dalit youth, Gokulraj’s acquaintance with a college girl from a non-dalit community. The gang from the non-dalit community had followed Gokulraj and Swathi to the Arthanareeswarar Temple in Tiruchengode where both Gokulraj and Swati were seen conversing with each other. The gang threatened Swathi to leave the place and return to her residence; after which they had kidnapped Gokulraj, murdering and tossing his body away on the railway tracks.
In this connection, Swathi, along with Gokulraj’s family members, had lodged a complaint with the Police department. She has stated in her complaint that while she was conversing with Gokulraj in the Temple, someone came up to Gokulraj and told him that a person in the name of Yuvaraj had sent for him. Then, some more men joined in and started threatening both her and Gokulraj and the gang seized mobile phones from both of them. The gang then asked Swathi to leave for her home and kidnapped Gokulraj alone.
Swathi has also stated that the vehicle used by the gang that kidnapped Gokulraj had an inscription “Theeran Chinnamalai Peravai.” Swathi had thus confirmed in her complaint that it is Yuvaraj from ‘Theeran Chinnamalai Peravai’ who had kidnapped Gokulraj. It was only after the said complaint, it came to light that the beheaded body found on the railway track was Gokulraj’s. Hence, it is apparent that the caste hindu gang lead by Yuvaraj is responsible for the gruesome murder of Gokulraj.
It is shocking to see the Police department’s apathy to the complaint filed by Gokulraj’s mother and Swathi. Despite the relay protests from Gokulraj’s family and ‘Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi’ cadres for the past four days, the Police department has not heeded to register a case of murder and arrest the casteist gang.
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The Tamil Nadu Government has been persistently acting against the interest of Dalit people and the atrocities that happened in Dharmapuri, the continuing killings of Dalits in southern districts, the gruesome murder of Gokulraj in Tiruchengode are testimonies to this. The murder of Ilavarasan in Dharmapuri and Gokulraj in Tiruchengode confirm the vicious state of affairs wherein any acquaintance/relationship of Dalit youth with non-Dalit women would result in dreadful killing. The Tamil Nadu Government has been adamant in dismissing the plea from Gokulraj’s family members and cadres of Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi (VCK) to arrest Yuvaraj and his gang of men involved in the murder of Gokulraj. Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi vehemently condemns the anti-Dalit approach of the Tamil Nadu Government. We demand immediate arrest of the murderers involved and to hand over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by the State Government. We also demand the Tamil Nadu Government to pay a compensation of Rs. 25 lacs to the family of Gokulraj and provide for Government employment to Gokulraj’s elder brother. Further, the Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi demands the Indian Government and the Tamil Nadu Government to enact a separate law for hate crimes in the name of caste (honour killings).
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A Muslim youth named Shameel Ahmed detained in the Pallikonda Police station in Vellore district (Tamil Nadu) has been tortured and murdered by Police personnel in the name of enquiry. The Muslim community who demanded justice and protested against the Police atrocity have been cruelly lathi-charged by the Police department. Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi vehemently condemns the Police atrocity against the Muslim community. Further, the Police personnel including the Inspector of Police involved in the murder of the Muslim youth should be booked and arrested for murder, and the respective Police personnel should be dismissed from service. We also demand the State Government to pay a compensation of Rs.25 lacs to the family of Shameel Basha and provide Government employment to a family member of Shameel Basha immediately.
~ Thol. Thirumavalavan
28th June, 2015.
Update: It has just been reported that Gokulraj’s death has been registered as a murder & the six accused have been arrested.
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Statement translated from Tamil by Kadhiravan.
