PRESSED TO GIVE UP HIS LIVELIHOOD, HE DARED TO REFUSE

Dalit beaten up in Tiruvarur (Express)

"The 57-year-old man was tied to a tree and beaten up with weapons and slippers, when he refused to sell his land to M Thangadurai (45), who belongs to the Thevar community.

"The incident is reported to have happened on November 17. Mahalingam owns a 30-cent piece of land adjoining Thangadurai’s land in Thelikottai village. It is alleged that Thangadurai had been pressing Mahalingam to sell the land to him. 'As he has four sons, my father refused to pay heed to Thangadurai demands,' said M Ramesh, third son of Mahalingam.

"Mahalingam told Express that along with seven other men, Thangadurai dragged him out of the house, tied him to a tree and thrashed him. 'They claimed that my goats had entered their fields. They humiliated me and used abusive language,' he said.

"There are only 30 Dalit families in the village. Others have left out of fear of retaliation from the powerful Thevar community, Ramesh claimed. 'Dalits are dependent on them for their livelihood,' he added."