Village tense after clash at Sholavandan

Police claimed that Sri Jenagai Mariamman temple festival was celebrated on Tuesday night and during the occasion both the Dalits and caste Hindus carried fire pots (thee chatti ) to Vaigai river. 

As both the sections of people tried to place the pots in the river at the same time there was an altercation between them. During the clash stones were pelted against each other and a Dalit woman sustained serious injuries in her head. 

But police intervened and diffused the situation. However, a section of Dalit youth threw stones at a bus plying between Sholavandan and Kurivithurai. Sholavandan police have booked a case under Sections 323, 324 of IPC and provided security for Sholavandan and Kuruvithurai.  

Policemen attached to the Special Branch in two vans and sleuths in Eagle van, apart from the regular patrol jeeps and police cars, are stationed in the village. A policeman from Usilampatti sub-division posted at Kuruvithurai claimed that he was not aware of the issue but the village was known to be communally sensitive as in the recent past there were several issues when the communal harmony was disturbed. 

During the Pongal festival in January there was a communal clash between Dalits and caste Hindus at Kuruvithurai and the Dalits alleged that they were not being supplied articles in ration shops before caste Hindus. Later, ahead of the Assembly election, they demanded a separate polling booth and on the day of polling they refused to exercise their votes claiming that the booth was located in an area dominated by caste Hindus.