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23 Aug 2022 | Liberty Tamil

TN recorded 1,272 caste crimes in 2021, 4 districts refused to share data

AUGUST 20, 2022 - 12:49 | THE NEWS MINUTE

If all 38 districts in Tamil Nadu make their data on caste crimes available, the number is likely to cross 1,400, says rights-based organisation Evidence.

In the year 2021 alone, Tamil Nadu had witnessed at least 1,272 caste crimes against Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe communities in the state, says the RTI data collected by rights-based organisation Evidence. But what the data does not reveal, is just as grim. With four districts — namely Namakkal, Dindigul, Ranipet and Thiruvallur — refusing to even respond to the RTI application filed by the organisation’s founding director A Kathir, while five other districts provided partial information (only the number of crimes without the seriousness of the offences), the numbers are likely higher, as Evidence notes in their press statement. Speaking to the media after releasing the report last week, Kathir had stated that this lack of information prevented Evidence from pinpointing the exact number of such crimes in the state.

As per the data available, Madurai district leads in terms of the number of caste crimes in Tamil Nadu, with as many as 117 cases reported in the previous year. Up to 36 of them were recorded in Madurai city alone. Thanjavur is at the second highest, recording 90 caste crimes, while Trichy recorded 83. Nearly half of the total such crimes recorded in the state, 609, are serious offences that carry a sentence of seven years or more in prison. Of the total number of cases, gender and caste-based violence against Dalit women account for 70, while 90 were cases of crime committed against female Dalit children, the report shows.

The press note issued by Evidence estimates that had the data been given in full, from all 38 districts in the state, the total number of caste crimes would increase to over 1,400. Besides, these are not the only distressing figures in the report. The organisation points out that while the number of caste crimes are increasing, the conviction rates continue to be extremely low. The state recorded a conviction rate of only 5-7% in 2021, the report says.

The report also draws attention to the reconstitution of the Tamil Nadu State Vigilance and Monitoring Committee in July last year, after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led alliance came to power. The committee was reconstituted to include the Minister for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare and all MLAs, irrespective of party affiliation, from SC, ST communities. The committee chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin has additional duties to meet twice a year, to keep track of whether the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is being properly implemented. Evidence observes in its statement that while this is a welcome change, the committee needs to function far more rigorously, as data from the last three years shows that caste crimes continue unabated in the state. In 2019, Tamil Nadu recorded 1,144 cases, while in 2020, the state saw 1,274 cases.

“5 மாவட்டங்களில் தகவல் இல்லை; ஆனாலும் 1,272 சாதிய வன்கொடுமைகள்” – எவிடென்ஸ் அமைப்பு சொல்வதென்ன?

17 Aug 2022 7 AM | Vikatan

தமிழகத்தில் 32 மாவட்டங்களில் கடந்த 2021-ம் ஆண்டில் 1,272 சாதிய வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்கள் நடந்துள்ளன. மதுரை மாவட்டத்தில் மட்டும் 117 சம்பவங்கள் நடந்து முதலிடத்தில் உள்ளதாக அதிர்ச்சிகரமான ரிப்போர்ட்டை எவிடென்ஸ் அமைப்பு வெளியிட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழ்நாட்டில் நடந்த சாதிய வன்கொடுமைகள் குறித்து எவிடென்ஸ் அமைப்பின் செயல் இயக்குநர் கதிரிடம் கேட்டபோது, “கடந்த 2021-ம் ஆண்டில் தமிழ்நாட்டில் சென்னை தவிர்த்து எஸ்.சி., எஸ்.டி-யினர்மீது நடத்தப்பட்ட சாதிய வன்கொடுமைகள் குறித்து ஆர்.டி.ஐ மூலம் தகவல்களைத் திரட்டினோம். இதில் திண்டுக்கல், திருவள்ளூர், நாமக்கல், ராணிப்பேட்டை மாவட்ட அதிகாரிகள் தகவல் அளிக்கவில்லை. ஒருசில மாவட்டங்கள் முழுமையான தகவல்களை அளிக்கவில்லை. 32 மாவட்டங்களில் கிடைக்கப்பெற்ற தகவல்கள் மூலம் 1,272 வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்கள் நடந்திருப்பது தெரியவந்தது.

வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்களில் முதல் ஒன்பது இடங்களில் நான்கு தென் மாவட்டங்களும், மூன்று கிழக்கு மாவட்டங்களும் இரண்டு வடக்கு மாவட்டங்களும், மேற்கில் ஒரு மாவட்டமும் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளன. 1,272 சம்பவங்களில் பட்டியல் சாதியினர், பழங்குடிச் சாதியினர் மீது நடத்தப்பட்ட கொடூரமான சம்பவங்கள் 609-ம், கொடூர ஆயுதங்கள் மூலம் தாக்கப்பட்ட சம்பவங்கள் 293-ம், 33 கொலைகளும், 43 பாலியல் வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்களும், 52 கொலை முயற்சி சம்பவங்களும் நடந்துள்ளன.

பெண்கள் மீது 70 சாதிரீதியான வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்கள், சிறுமிகள் 91 பேர் மீது பாலியல் வன்முறைச் சம்பவங்கள், 18 வயதுக்கு உட்பட்ட சிறுமிகள் மீது 53 பாலியல் டார்ச்சர் சம்பவங்கள் நடந்துள்ளன. பட்டியலின மக்களின் சொத்துகள் சேதப்படுத்தப்பட்ட 7 சம்பவங்கள் நடந்துள்ளன. ‘தமிழ்நாடு அரசு பெண்கள் மீதான வன்கொடுமை தடுப்பு சட்டத்தின்’ கீழ் 88 பட்டியல் சாதிப் பெண்கள் பாதிக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாகவும் தகவல் கிடைத்துள்ளது.

சென்னை மாவட்டத்தில் தகவல் வாங்கவில்லை. மீதியுள்ள திண்டுக்கல், திருவள்ளூர், நாமக்கல், ராணிப்பேட்டை மாவட்டங்கள் இதுவரை தகவல் தரவில்லை. கிடைத்த தகவலின் அடிப்படையில் இந்த எண்ணிக்கை வந்திருக்கிறது. எங்கள் கணிப்பின்படி 1,400 சம்பவங்களுக்கு மேல் நடந்திருக்கலாம்.

வன்கொடுமைத் தடுப்புச் சட்டத்தின் கீழ் தமிழ்நாட்டில் தண்டனை 5 முதல் 7 சதவிகிதமே கிடைக்கிறது. பல வழக்குகளில் விடுவிக்கப்படுகின்றனர். வன்கொடுமைத் தடுப்புச் சட்டத்தில் 2015-ல் திருத்தங்கள் கொண்டுவரப்பட்டபோது குற்றப்பத்திரிகை தாக்கல் செய்த இரண்டு மாதங்களில் தீர்ப்பு வழங்கப்படவேண்டும் எனக் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. ஆனால், ஆயிரக்கணக்கான வழக்குகள் நீதிமன்றத்தில் நிலுவையில் உள்ளன. வழக்குகளை விரைவாக நடத்த அனைத்து மாவட்டங்களிலும் சிறப்பு நீதிமன்றம் அமைக்க வேண்டும் என்று தொடர்ந்து கூறிவருகிறோம். மாநில அளவிலான கண்காணிப்புக்குழுக் கூட்டம் ஆண்டுக்கு இரண்டு முறை கூடி ஆய்வுசெய்ய வேண்டும். ஆட்சி மாறிய பின்பு அதற்கான குழு அமைத்தும், ஆய்வு நடத்துவதில் ஆர்வம் இல்லை. தேக்கநிலையே உள்ளது.

கடந்த 2019-ல் 1,144, 2020-ல் 1,274 வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்கள் நடந்துள்ளன. 2021-ல் 5 மாவட்டங்கள் பற்றிய தகவல் இல்லாமலேயே 1,272 சாதிய வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்கள் நடந்திருப்பது அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.

வன்கொடுமைச் சம்பவங்கள் குறைய வழக்குகள் விரைவாக நடைபெற வேண்டும். குற்றவாளிகள் தப்பிக்காமல் தண்டனை பெற தேசிய அளவில் இருப்பதுபோல் மாநில அளவில் இலவச உதவி எண் அறிவிக்கப்பட வேண்டும்.

அனைத்து மாவட்டத்திலும் சிறப்பு நீதிமன்றங்களை அமைக்க வேண்டும். குற்றவாளிகள் தண்டனை பெற அனைத்துத் துறைகளும் ஆலோசிக்க வேண்டும். தீண்டாமைக்கு எதிராக அரசு விழிப்புணர்வை அதிகப்படுத்த வேண்டும்” என்றார்.

Madurai tops list in number of caste atrocities in Tamil Nadu

15th August 2022 05:31 AM | THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS

In the light of this reply from the State Police Department, several activists have urged the government to launch an exclusive helpline number for reporting incidents of violence against SC members.

MADURAI: As per an RTI reply received by activist A Kathir recently, over 1,270 cases of violence meted out to persons belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) were registered in Tamil Nadu in 2021. Madurai district topped the list with 117 cases.

In the light of this reply from the State Police Department, several activists have urged the government to launch an exclusive helpline number for reporting incidents of violence against SC members.

Evidence, a social rights-based organisation run by Kathir, has been engaged in the collection of data on violence against SC persons, especially women and children.

Out of 37 districts in the State, only 32 have furnished data on the number of cases in the RTI reply.
The remaining districts have either not provided the data or submitted only partial information.
Out of the total 1,272 cases reported, about 609 are serious offences, which could attract a prison sentence of over seven years.

As many as 33 murders, 43 rapes and 293 incidents of assault using dangerous weapons were reported in the State last year. In comparison, Tamil Nadu reported 1,144 incidents of caste violence in 2019 and 1,274 incidents in the following year.

Speaking to TNIE, Kathir lamented that the conviction rate under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was only around 5%-7%. “Despite the amendment to the Act in 2015 clearly calling for the fast-tracking of case trials in order to provide the victims justice, a huge number of cases are still under trial or investigation for a long time.

So, the State government should consider setting up special courts for conducting trials in cases booked under the SC/ST Act in all the districts. At present, only half of the total number of districts have exclusive courts for these cases,” he said.

“While the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to form a special committee comprising 63 members, to chalk out measures to curb caste atrocities is appreciable, it should be ensured that the committee meets at regular intervals. The government should also launch a helpline number for the victims to lodge complaints,” Kathir demanded.

Atrocities against SC/ST on the rise in Tamil Nadu: RTI reveals

AUGUST 13, 2022 23:01 IST | THE HINDU

Despite the change in the administration at the Fort St. George, crimes and atrocities against the SC/ST had only risen in Tamil Nadu, according to a revelation from the RTI Act, said Evidence executive director A. Kathir here on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, he said that the Evidence team was engaged in the collection of data from the RTI over the last six months on various heads. The volunteers and resource persons compiled the data received and examined them in a scientific manner. The comparison of the data with the previous two years (2019 and 2020) showed that there was a rise in 2021 against the SCs, especially, on women and children.

It was unfortunate that out of 38 districts in the State, officials from Namakkal, Dindigul, Ranipet, and Tiruvallur had not given any information. As per the RTI Act, it was a violation, Mr. Kathir pointed out and added that officials in Karur, Erode, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Villupuram, and Krishnagiri districts shared minimum information and failed to respond to all the queries. Only Chengalpattu with Kancheepuram as an integrated district shared all information asked by the Evidence team.

Expressing disappointment, Mr. Kathir said that with the non-receipt of information and partial information from some of the districts, they could not arrive at a figure with precision. However, he said that Madurai topped the table in Tamil Nadu with highest number of atrocities against the SCs, followed by Thanjavur, Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Salem, Thiruvannamalai, Theni, Ramanathapuram and Villupuram.

He said that grave cases, for which punishment was over seven years, alone accounted for 609 in 2021 from the above 32 districts. It was shocking to note that the conviction rate was only around 5 to 7 % for the accused under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.

Hence, the Evidence urged the Tamil Nadu government to immediately set up special courts to try the cases under the SC/ST Act in all the 38 districts as only in 50 % of the districts, the special courts function.

While welcoming the Tamil Nadu government’s initiatives and the formation of a high-level committee comprising 63 members, he stressed that Chief Minister should convene the meeting at periodic intervals and discuss the modalities, which alone would pave way for the prevention of crimes against the SCs.

Like the Union government’s initiative, the State government should also open a special toll-free number for the victims to lodge the complaints and wanted to fill vacancies in the judicial officers and police departments to register FIRs swiftly.

Dalit panchayat president in TN killed for opposing corruption, says NGO report

AUGUST 11, 2022 - 19:22 | THE NEWS MINUTE

Narasimhamoorthy, panchayat president of a village in Krishnagiri, was murdered on August 2 and police said that he was murdered because of a dispute about monetary transactions.

Deceased panchayat president Narasimhamoorthy

A fact-finding team that probed the murder of Narasimhamoorthy, President of Tharavendiram panchayat in Krishnagiri and a Dalit, have questioned claims made by the police that he was killed following a financial dispute. Narasimhamoorthy, who hails from a Scheduled Caste Comminity was murdered on August 2 this year. The report says the lain panchayat president was considered hard working and not corrupt by residents.

His body was found by his nephew Venkatesh near his native village PP Palayam. Two sons of panchayat Vice-president Jakkama – Krishna and Shankar – panchayat Secretary Prasanna, and eleven others surrendered before the police shortly after. Though the motive for the murder as claimed by the police is that Narasimhamoorthy was murdered by family members of the panchayat vice-president because of financial disputes in an alleged land deal, a fact finding report by Evidence, an NGO based in Madurai, has challenged this version.

Initially, the police said that the panchayat leader was murdered because of a dispute regrarding monetary transactions in the sale of a parcel of land. Krishna and Shankar, who belong to the Gowda community, had sold their land to AVS Quarries for Rs 15 lakh many years ago. The sellers, allegedly, asked Narasimhamoorthy to negotiate with AVS Quarries to give them a higher price for their land. Krishna and Shankar claimed that the panchayat president was able to negotiate successfully and collected the money but did not hand it over to them, which was the motive behind the murder.

However, Evidence’s report debunks these claims. Members of Evidence’s fact-finding team spoke to representatives from AVS Quarries who said that the payment for the land that was bought was settled fully. They added that there is no connection between Narasimhamoorthy and the sale of the land.

TNM spoke to Venkatesh, Narasimhamoorthy’s nephew who said, “My uncle had a good name in our village. You can ask anybody here and they will all say the same. He was very honest and even created a common Whatsapp group with some people from our village on which he shared bills for all the expenses undertaken by the panchayat office.” He alleged that some members of the panchayat office did not like Narasimhamoorthy’s approach as they wanted to appropriate the panchayat fund.

The report published by Evidence states that ever since Narasimhamoorthy was elected in 2019, he had ensured the development of the village. He oversaw the construction of tar roads, compound walls for the local schools, sewers, overhead tanks and water lines. It added that, as the panchayat President, he was a strong voice against corruption and ensured that his administration was transparent, which was not liked by the corrupt panchayat officials.

Venkatesh said: “Once, my uncle got into a heated argument with the panchayat Secretary Prasanna because he tried to claim reimbursements using fake bills. Another time, he filed a police complaint because Krishna and Shankar along with a few thugs came to his house and used derogatory language while demanding the remaining money that came from the sale of the land.” He adds that Prasanna teamed up with Krishna and Shankar to kill Narasimhamoorthy. In his police complaint Narasimhamoorthy stated that they threatened him saying that he has to get more money from AVS or they would kill him.

The report said the Vice-president’s sons and the panchayat secretary wanted a commission for every development project undertaken by the local body, which the President refused to heed.

Evidence’s report asked for the case to be filed under section 3(1)(m) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (preventing a Panchayat president from doing their duties), a CB-CID investigation, a compensation of Rs 25 lakhs for Narasimhamoorthy’s family and a government job for his wife.

மாணவி வழக்கை திசை மாற்றும் போலீஸ்! ஆட்சிக்கே ஆபத்தாய் முடியும்!

11 Aug 2022 | Liberty Tamil

Fact-finding team alleges discrepancies in police report on murder of Scheduled Caste panchayat president at Thally in Krishnagiri

AUGUST 09, 2022 22:11 IST | THE HINDU

The team has demanded a CB-CID inquiry and a compensation of ₹ 25 lakh to the victim’s family
A fact-finding team from Evidence, a Madurai based NGO, has called out discrepancies in the police report on the murder of the Scheduled Caste president of Tharvendiram panchayat in Thally here.

The victim, Narasimhamoorthy, was found murdered near P.P.Palayam village of Tharvendiram panchayat on August 2. Eleven persons, including the panchayat secretary and the sons of the panchayat vice-president, surrendered soon after.

The police had claimed that the murder was a result of a conflict over monetary transactions. The sons of the panchayat vice-president, Jakkamma, had sold a parcel of land in 2012 to AVS quarries and the company had paid up for the transaction. However, years after the transaction, the accused had asked Narasimhamoorthy to intervene and ask for higher payment. According to the police, Narasimhamoorthy had collected the money, but had not paid them.

However, the Evidence report has disputed the police version of the motive for the murder.

The fact-finding team had interviewed the AVS quarries and the panchayt residents and both have rubbished the police version.

According to the AVS representative, there was no sense to asking for higher payments years after the sale. Besides, Narasimhamoorthy was not party to any transaction.

Kathir, Director of Evidence, told The Hindu if it was a private monetary dispute between the president and the vice president, where was the need for the panchayat secretary to intervene in the murder.

According to the report, in the two years since his election in 2019, Narasimhamoorthy had built tar roads, school compounds, green houses, drains, overhead tanks and laid drinking water lines, and in the process had ensured transparency in the panchayat administration. He had set up a Whatsapp group to table incomes and revenues along with receipts to the group members.

The motive was to finish off an honest panchayat president, whose workings sought to bring transparency into the functioning of the panchayat administration, says the report.

Evidence has demanded invocation of Sections under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that obstructs a panchayat president from performing his duties; demanded a CB-CID inquiry; and a compensation of ₹ 25 lakh as mandated under the Act to the family of the victim, along with a government job for the spouse of Narasimhamoorthy.

சாதிப்படுகொலை நடக்கும்போது ஒட்டுமொத்த சமூகமும் வேடிக்கை பார்ப்பது ஏன்?

6 Aug 2022 | NakkheeranTV

Rights activists welcome life sentence for convicts

AUGUST 06, 2022 05:42 IST | THE HINDU

‘Hope it serves as a deterrent to caste-based violence’

Welcoming the Sivaganga special court’s verdict in the 2018 Kachanatham murder case, human rights activists expressed the hope that it would serve as a deterrent to caste-based violence.

Human rights activist and advocate Henri Tiphagne, of Madurai-based NGO People’s Watch, said one should not ignore the fact that the family members of the victims faced threats from the dominant community, even during the trial in the case.