Madurai rural district police on Sunday arrested a person named Nagendran, on charges of forcing a Dalit to fall at his feet for having stolen a calf a few days ago.
The Alanganallur police, which has registered a case under the provisions of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, is on the lookout for Nagendran’s sister, Nagalakshmi, in this connection.
“We did not receive any complaint but found a video-clipping in the social media in which P. Kannan (42) was seen falling at the feet of some persons following which he got a complaint from him,” Madurai Superintendent of Police, V. Baskaran, said.
Nagalakshmi of Mela Panangadi had found her missing cattle in a butcher’s place in Arapalayam on June 15 and brought it back home. They suspected that Kannan had stolen and sold it.
The caste Hindus at the village claimed that Kannan had only fallen in front of the temple to seek apologies for his act. “However, as per the video clipping, it looks like Kannan fell at the feet of some persons in front of temple,” the SP said.
After the video clipping, shot by local youths, was circulated in social media, the issue came to light.
This article first appeared on The Hindu