The Tamil Nadu State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on Monday took suo motu cognisance of media reports over the incident of alleged untouchability against children on caste lines in Tenkasi district, and sought for a detailed report from the Superintendent of Police by October 7.
The commission has sought complete details of the First Information Report (FIR) registered in the case, whether the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was invoked, and the sections of the Act that were invoked.
After a video where a shopkeeper of Panjankulam in Tenkasi was seen refusing to sell snacks to children belonging to the Scheduled Caste went viral, he was arrested and the shop was sealed.
Tenkasi Collector P. Akash conducted an inquiry and found that it was shopkeeper, S. Maheshwaran, who refused to sell snacks and candies to the children based on a “decision” taken by the members of his caste following a minor clash between the members of the two castes.
