Tirupur: Six get 2-year jail for banishing Dalit cook from government school

COIMBATORE: A special court in Tirupur on Friday sentenced six persons, including a couple, for preventing a Dalit cook from preparing food for their children at a government school near Avinashi in 2018.

P Pappal, 44, joined as a cook at the Government Higher Secondary School in Thirumalaikoundampalayam in July 2018. According to the prosecution, a section of parents protested against the woman cooking for their children.

The Avinashi block development officer V Meenakshi then transferred Pappal to another school, a move overruled by the sub-collector. The Sevvur police booked 36 persons, including the BDO, who was later discharged from the case. Four others passed away, while 31 others faced trial at the special court for hearing SC/ST cases.

Judicial Magistrate M Suresh convicted Palanisamy, 68, Sakthivel, 49, Shanmugam, 47, his wife Seethalakshmi, 45, Velliangiri, 58 and Duraisamy, 64 to two years of imprisonment for offences, including preventing a government employee from discharging duty over caste reasons, discrimination and unlawful assembly, and also slapped a fine of Rs 5,500 each. Twenty-five others were acquitted for lack of evidence.

V Pappal, who was in court, told the media she was disappointed with the verdict. “I will file an appeal in the high court,” she said, demanding a house and a government job for a member of her family.

All six convicted have been sent to Coimbatore Central Prison.

Senior advocate PP Mohan, who represented Pappal, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment. “The BDO and some police officers were also complicit in the case, they need to be punished. The verdict does not deliver complete justice,” he said.

Members of the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front welcomed the verdict by bursting crackers and distributing sweets near the court complex.