A few days ago a video emerged from Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore where an upper caste Hindu man was seen allegedly forcing a Dalit government staffer to fall at his feet, at a village administrative office. The video caused widespread outrage with many on social media asking the Tamil Nadu administration to take action against the perpetrator, identified as Gopalasamy, a farmer from the Ottarpalayam village in Coimbatore.
However, now a new, longer version of the video has emerged that shows the government staffer hitting Gopalasamy before falling on his feet, reported The Indian Express.
Gopinathan, alias Gopalasamy, was earlier booked for hurling casteist abuses at Muthuswamy, who works at the administrative office as a helper and for preventing public servants from discharging their duties. The complaint for the same was filed by Muthuswamy.
However, on 13 August, members of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam and Gopalasamy’s relatives approached the Assistant Commissioner’s office in Mettupalayam and demanded that the police suspend the complaint filed by Muthuswamy. They also presented the new video, which showed Muthuswamy first slapping Gopalasamy and then falling on his feet, the daily added.
“We have submitted the video and asked police to take action against the officials. They said they will check our video and take necessary steps. The officials have registered a false complaint against our farmer. We heard that both the officials at the administrative office have been transferred but we don’t want a transfer. They should be suspended and legal action should be initiated against them. If police do not take action, we have planned an agitation on 17 August", Venugopal, state secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, told the paper.
According to the police, Gopalasamy had been booked under sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the IPC (Indian Police Code).
Following the public outrage that the incident created, Coimbatore district collector GS Sameeran had on Saturday, 7 August, ordered the formation of an inquiry committee headed by District Revenue Officer (DRO) Leela Alex. He had also ordered the registration of a police complaint and asked for a detailed report regarding the incident.
Taking cognisance of the video clip, Selva Nagaratnam, Coimbatore Superintendent of Police, who was present at the Annur Police Station for the investigation regarding this case, had ordered an inquiry into the incident.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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