For decades now, Dalits living in Kalapathur Colony in Viluppuram district have been asking for a pathway to the cemetery as they have to cross the farmlands of caste Hindu people to reach the cemetery for every death in the village, but to no avail.

This has created tensions between Dalits and caste Hindus in the past. About 350 families of Kalapathur Colony had got a land of 1.5 acres for a separate cemetery near the Pidagam River about five decades ago. As there was no road to the cemetery, they have to walk through the farmland for 2kms with the bier, according to TNIE.

The caste-Hindu people allegedly quarrel and argue with Dalits when the cultivation season is going on. The farm owners would instead ask the Dalits to walk on the furrow which would be narrow and would make the mourners walk uneasy.

The Dalits have warned that if no solution is brought to this issue they would boycott the Assembly elections this year.

Some members of the Dalit community told TNIE that they had submitted petitions to the Collector, MLA, MPs and Ministers since the tenure of CN Annadurai but help has came so far.