An investigation has been ordered after a video on social media showed a Dalit village assistant, Muthusamy, in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district falling at the feet of an upper-caste man, The Times of India reported on Saturday.
The incident took place on Friday in Annur Taluk when a local, 38-year-old K Gopalsamy, went to Odderpalayam Village Administrative Officer Kalaiselvi’s office to check some land documents. Gopalsamy is a resident of Gobirasipuram near Pogalur. When he got into an argument with Kalaiselvi, Assistant Officer Muthusamy intervened.
“He [Gopalsamy] abused the village assistant by using his caste name when Muthusamy intervened and asked him to calm down,” an official told The Times of India. “Muthusamy then slapped Gopalsamy, who forced the former to prostrate before him.”
According to reports, the video online showed Muthusamy apologising to Gopalsamy as he was always respectful to caste Hindus. Gopalasamy accepted his apology, saying that he too had made a mistake, India Today reported.
But on Friday night, Gopalasamy filed a complaint seeking action against Kalaiselvi and Muthusamy, The Times of India reported. “Gopalsamy said his father’s property was transferred to the latter’s elder brother without his knowledge,” a police officer cited his complaint as saying. “It was when he questioned the VAO about this that Muthusamy slapped him.”
Coimbatore District Collector GS Sameeran formed a committee to investigate the matter and directed the police to register a case.
Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam members and the Democratic Youth Federation of India held protests in Annur town of Coimbatore, asking the collector take action against Gopalsamy.
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