Police on alert as Dalit youth hacked to death in TN's Tenkasi

Chennai, June 15

The Tenkasi police have been put on alert after a Dalit youth was hacked to death at Sengottai municipal complex building.

Even though the two accused belonging to a Most Backward Community (MBC) were arrested on Wednesday itself, the possibility of retaliation is not being ruled out.

Rajesh (27) of a Dalit community was working as a temporary employee at Sengottai municipality. Eye witnesses said that two bike-borne youths reached the municipality complex building and waited for Rajesh on Wednesday. As soon as he arrived, they two hacked him to death using sickles they were carrying.

The killers, Mari (21) and Manthiramoorthi (26) were arrested even as they were trying to surrender before the Ambasamudram police.

Rajesh's kin staged a blockade on the Kollam-Thirumangalam road and police had to disperse them.

Tenkasi police are, however, on high alert as the possibility of the killing of Rajesh escalating into a caste war cannot be ruled out.

In 2021, after the Stalin government came to power, there were back to back killings in Tirunelveli and Madurai districts.

State Director General of Police, C. Sylendra Babu had to camp in Madurai and bring the situation under control.

While police are not expecting such a situation in Tenkasi, it is on alert at the possibility of retaliation by the relatives and caste members of the deceased.