Dalit Student’s Hands Hacked For Riding ‘Bullet’ In Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga, 3 Arrested

A 21-year-old Dalit student from Melapidavur village in Tamil Nadu’s Sivaganga district was brutally attacked by caste Hindu men for riding a Royal Enfield ‘Bullet’ motorcycle. The incident occurred on the evening of February 12, leaving the victim, R Iyyasamy, with grievous injuries.

Iyyasamy, a third-year BSc Mathematics student, was riding his two-wheeler through his village when an elderly man suddenly stepped into his path. After stopping and asking the man to be cautious, a group of men, reportedly enraged over the interaction, confronted him. The accused, identified as Vinoth Kumar, Aadhi Eeswaran, and Vallarasu, allegedly used casteist slurs before launching a violent attack reportedly since ‘they had issue with Dalits riding high-end vehicles’, as per reports.

Eyewitnesses stated that an argument escalated quickly, with Vinoth Kumar and Aadhi Eeswaran allegedly instructing Vallarasu to assault Iyyasamy. Vallarasu then pulled out a machete and severe hacked both of Iyyasamy’s hands, according to the FIR, as reported by The News Minute. Villagers who witnessed the attack immediately intervened and rushed him to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

The accused also ransacked the victim’s residence, as reported by The New Indian Express

Following the attack, the Sivaganga district police registered an FIR, booking the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, reported India Today. Preliminary investigations revealed that Vinoth Kumar had prior cases against him, including one related to a caste-based crime.

The brutal nature of the assault has sparked outrage among Dalit rights groups and political leaders, who are demanding stringent action against the accused. 

While the police have arrested all three accused, further investigations are ongoing to determine if more individuals were involved. Authorities have assured that strict action will be taken to ensure justice for Iyyasamy.