Vengaivayal protest enters fifth day; 21 arrested

The protest by Vengaivayal residents entered the fifth day on Wednesday, as villagers continued to oppose the final report of the CB-CID in the case of human faeces being dumped in the village’s overhead water tank in December 2022.

The protest by Vengaivayal residents entered the fifth day on Wednesday (January 29, 2025), as villagers continued to oppose the final report of the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) in the case of human faeces being dumped in the village’s overhead water tank in December 2022.

The report had named three individuals from the village as accused, a conclusion that the protesters had claimed unfairly targeted the affected Scheduled Caste (SC) community. Carrying black flags, they staged a silent demonstration on the streets of the village, demanding justice, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, members of the Marxist-Leninist People’s Liberation Party, led by its general secretary Kasi Viduthalai Kumaran, attempted to march from the bus stand to the collectorate, demanding a judicial inquiry, led by a High Court judge, into the case. The town police arrested 21 protesters for staging the demonstration without permission.

The Special Court for Atrocities Against SC/ST POA Act in Pudukkottai postponed the hearing after the defence sought more time, stating that a senior advocate was expected to represent them. Their previous petition sought copies of the charge sheet, which were not granted.

The CB-CID public prosecutor argued that the case did not fall under the SC/ST Atrocities Act since both the victims and accused belong to the Scheduled Caste community and contended that there was no obligation to inform the victims or provide the charge sheet under the Act’s provisions. The judge adjourned the case to February 1.