Published: 28th October 2014 06:03 AM

PUDUKKOTTAI: Despite the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court ordering police protection to ostracised Dalit writer Durai Guna’s family, lack of action on part of the personnel has led to an attack on his father, claimed the writer here on Monday.

The writer approached the collectorate  seeking intervention of the officials during a public grievance day meeting on Monday.

Durai Guna

Durai Guna, a native of Kulathiranpattu, belonging to Dalit community submitted a petition to the authorities. Speaking to Express, Durai said, “I wrote a story in the book titled Oorar Varaindha Oviyam (Art painted by villagers), which was released on July 12 at Gandhi park in Karambakudi. In the book, I narrated various atrocities perpetrated by caste Hindus of the area on Dalits. Since then, several persons have made threat calls to me and my family members, including my father, Duraisamy, and my wife, Gokila.”On August 5, a section of Dalit residents, including Thangaraj village panchayat president, P Ganeshan, Pilakurichi village panchayat vice president, Manickam son of Malaiyappan, Sasikumar son of Kaliyaperumal, Sankaran son of Mongan, came and asked me to leave the village. According to them, the caste Hindus were unhappy with their depiction in my book and they wanted me to leave the village along with my family,” he claimed.

The author said that the group claimed that 10 Dalits had been terminated from their jobs by the caste Hindus to drive home the point. They also prevented the Dalits from grazing their cattle on their farm lands, besides asserting that no Dalit should come to the village bazaar. The caste Hindu shop keepers also refused to do business with Dalits,” he elaborated.

The writer lodged a petition with Karambakudi police on August 7 but no action was taken.

He further said he left the village and approached the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the district police to provide protection to his family.

After accepting his petition, judge T S Sivagnanam issued an order on September 18 stating that the Inspector of Karambakudi police station should inquire his complaint and take  appropriate action on his petition within four weeks, according to law.

Despite, the court order, neither did the Karambakudi police  take any action to settle the issue nor did it register a case. It was during this time that Duraisamy was assaulted by caste Hindus when he was at his home on October 22.

Subsequently, Durai. Guna lodged a complaint with Karambakudi police on October  22 regarding the attack on his father, but they did not register a case or conduct any inquiry with them till Sunday.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Dalit-Writers-Father-Attacked-in-Pudukkottai/2014/10/28/article2496755.ece