In a disturbing case of caste-based violence, police in Usilampatti, Madurai district have filed charges against six upper-caste men for allegedly abducting a 17-year-old Dalit teen during the Pongal holidays (January 2025). The youth, a resident of Sankampatti village, was dragged from home, beaten, and forced to prostrate before each member of the group—including a six-year-old child. He was further subjected to casteist taunts, and reportedly urinated upon before being released only when the accused realised that police had been alerted.
A First Information Report (FIR) was lodged on January 18, two days after the complaint was made, prompting criticism from Neelam Cultural Centre and others for the police’s delayed response and perceived bias.
The FIR includes charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 296(b) and 351(2), as well as Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Meanwhile, police have denied the claim of urination, though the investigation remains active.
The victim is currently undergoing treatment at the Usilampatti government hospital, and is reported to be deeply traumatised. Disputes also exist over his exact age, with relatives asserting that police have misreported it as 19.
