Madurai: Dalit run over in a fit of anger

MADURAI: A 48-year-old Dalit was pushed down from his motorcycle and run over when he refused to allow a caste Hindu, who had arrived after him, to fill fuel at a petrol bunk.According to Evidence, a Madurai-based NGO, Patchirajan (48) of Keelanalumoolaikinaru village near Thiruchendur had gone to a petrol bunk on his motorcycle along with his friend to fill fuel. Soon after, a caste Hindu of a neighbouring village, Muthu, arrived in a travels’ van and asked Patchirajan to make way for him. When Patchirajan refused to do so, Muthu abused him with references to his caste.When the Dalit pointed out that that he had arrived before him and should, therefore, be served first, an irate Muthu allegedly hit him with an iron rod and rammed his vehicle against the motorcycle. When Patchirajan fell down, Muthu reportedly ran his vehicle over him, injuring him seriously. He was rushed to the Thiruchendur hospital, but succumbed to his injuries later.The Thiruchendur police, who registered a case, have arrested Muthu and charged him with wilful murder and under the provisions of the Prevention of Atrocities Act. He was produced in court and remanded in custody.Patchirajan is survived by a wife, son Dinesh Babu (25) and daughter Sujithamalar (22).A Kadir, director of Evidence, said a fact-finding team had gone to Thiruchendur after getting wind of the attack. He said it was shocking that such an attack wasd made in a public place like a petrol bunk.This, he charged, showed the scant respect that some caste Hindus had for the laws of the country like the Protection of Civil Rights Act and Prevention of Atrocities Act. He urged law enforcement authorities not to treat Patchirajan’s death as just another murder case but instead consider it one with with communal overtones.  “Ninety-nine per cent of caste-related murders are treated as just ordinary murders, which gives high caste persons impunity to kill,” he explained.Kadir demanded that the Patchirajan’s next of kin be given `5 lakh as compensation and the amount recovered from the accused to serve as a lesson to other like-minded persons.