Dalits ‘beaten up’ for touching deity parasol (Express Buzz)
"The festival of Ayyappan temple in Uthangudi near Madurai is celebrated every year. The chariot bearing the idol of the Lord used to be taken around all streets of the village, except those in the Dalit area, claiming that the ‘untouchables’ were not fit to worship the deity.
"This year the festival was celebrated on December 26 and the deity was taken in procession. Some people of high caste were holding aloft the decorated umbrella above the idol. One of the men holding the umbrella had asked a Dalit, Pratap (19), to hold the umbrella while he tied his dhoti.
"When Pratap held the stem of the umbrella, a high caste man had pulled him out, abused and slapped him saying, 'How dare you defile the sacred umbrella? Have you developed such courage?'. [...]
"[T]hat night about 30 caste Hindus armed with lethal weapons had entered the Dalit colony and broken open the door of Vinothkumar.
"The mob had dragged Letchumy (21) wife of Arumugam and sister of Vinothkumar, who was pregnant and beaten her with chappals [sandals].
"She was then pushed into the sewer and kicked." [The Hindu (December 30) reports that the woman is "undergoing treatment at the Government Rajaji Hospital."]
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