Week after Nanguneri incident, another Dalit student brutally attacked by 10 schoolmates

NEW DELHI: A week after a Class 12 student belonging to the SC community in Tamil Nadu's Nanguneri was attacked, another student in Kalugumalai was attacked brutally over caste identity. The Class 11 Dalit student identified as Hari Prasad of Government High School in Kalugumalai, Tamil Nadu was attacked by his schoolmates for trying to stop a fight between the students.

On August 17, when Hari Prasad tried to break the scuffle between his friend, Hemanth, and other students, one of them hurled casteist slurs and verbally harassed him.

Later that day, a group of 10 students reached Lakshmipuram in search of Hari Prasad. At around 8 PM, the gang spotted him sitting alone and brutally attacked him. Before they fled, the gang threatened to kill him if he talked again to those students.

He was rushed to the Primary Health Centre (PHC), where he was provided first aid. Later, he was admitted to the Government Hospital in Kovilpatti for treatment. The police also filed an FIR and are investigating the matter.

On August 11, a Class 12 student and his sister were attacked with sickles inside their home at Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district by three schoolmates for complaining to the school head about their harassment. The Nanguneri police have filed a case under multiple sections, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and secured the suspects on Thursday, The Dalit Voice tweeted.

Political leaders and the Tamil Nadu chief minister condemned the gruesome attack. However, this is second such incident in a week.