Dalit residents of Surapattu in Villupuram have refused to receive the body of Raja Marianathan, a 19-year-old Dalit Christian youth who took his own life on December 23 after he and his family members allegedly received death threats from men belonging to the Vanniyar caste. The Vanniyar men, who physically assaulted him, also foisted a false case of bike theft on him, according to the relatives. Raja’s friends and relatives have been protesting outside Mundiyampakkam government hospital demanding the arrest of the Vanniyar men. They are also demanding payment of compensation to Raja’s family.
Raja, a Dalit Christian youth from the Pariah community, died by suicide at his house at 7 pm on December 23. Raja lived in Surapattu, a small village in Villupuram, located on Puducherry-Sengam road. While Dalits live on the left side of the road, the Vanniyars live on the right side. According to residents, on December 21 night Raja and his friends went for dinner at an eatery located in the residential area of Vanniyars. He saw an elderly man belonging to the Vanniyar community knock on a door to get some water while he was returning home. When Raja saw this, he tried to help the elderly man.
“He was trying to fetch some water for that old man. But Moorthy, the son-in-law of the elder man, answered the door and used casteist slurs against Raja when he saw him at the doorstep and asked how a Pariah man dared to come to his house and knock on the door?” alleges Marianathan, Raja’s father. Moorthy and his friends identified as Mohan and Suresh, also from the Vanniyar community, allegedly under the influence of alcohol engaged in a scuffle with Raja and attacked him. Sebastian and Vinoth, friends of Raja, rescued him from the attackers and admitted him to the Mundiyampakkam government hospital. Raja had eight stitches on his face and torso.
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