The Surandai police in the Tenkasi district are currently looking for a man who allegedly assaulted a Dalit couple for seeking shelter inside a waiting hall located in the Christian Nadars community cemetery. The incident occurred on April 23, when Chinnathambi and Parvathy, belonging to the Arunthathiyar community, classified as a Scheduled Caste in Tamil Nadu, were beaten up by a man from the Christian Nadar community. The couple had sought refuge inside the waiting hall due to heavy rains in their village at Parangundram Village in Tenkasi district.
Yesudasan, a man who belongs to the Christian Nadar community which comes under Backward Class Category in Tamil Nadu saw both of them sitting in the waiting-hall and urged them to leave the place. Yesudasan allegedly hurled casteist slurs at them and physically assaulted them, prompting the couple to seek medical treatment at Tenkasi Government Hospital. Chinnathampi and Parvathy have since been discharged and returned to their village.
Surandai police who registered a complaint have booked Yesudasan under sections 294(b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Panel Code. Surandai police have also booked him under section 4 (Committing or participating in or abetting harassment of a woman in any place) of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act which stipulates the penalty for harassment of women.
Yesudasan was also booked under sections 3(1)(r) (intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view), 3(1)(w) (intentionally touches a woman belonging to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe knowing that she belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe when the such act of touching is of a sexual nature and is without recipient's consent) and 3 (s) (abuses any member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe by caste name in any place within in public view) of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Talking to TNM, Surandai police said they are currently in pursuit of Yesudasan, after fled from the village following the incident and a case was promptly registered against him on the same day of the attack, after the couple were taken to the hospital for medical attention.