MADURAI: A Dalit, who sought details, through an RTI, of the land tax and property tax paid by a private college that came under the jurisdiction of the local panchayat, was attacked by an unidentified gang on Friday. His family members too were not spared.
‘Evidence’, a Madurai-based NGO that advocates the rights of the Dalits claimed that the information sought could reveal alleged tax evasion by the concerned college and alleged that the attack was perpetrated by the family that owned the institution.
The NGO, which deputed a fact-finding team to investigate the attack on the Dalit and his family, said that police are yet to an FIR in the case.
According to the NGO, M Meganathan is a resident of Veerapatti village in the Iluppur taluk of Pudukkottai district. Last month, he filed an RTI application demanding details of the land taxes and property taxes paid by a private college in the locality following which he began receiving threats. Despite repeated ultimatums and warnings, the 30-year-old man stood his ground.
On Friday morning, a weapon-wielding gang reached his house and assaulted him and his family members. The attack led to injuries being sustained by himself, his father Mayazhagu (56), and other relatives including Sureshkumar (31) and Rangasamy. They are currently getting treatment at Pudukkottai government hospital, where they managed to file a Medical Lego Case (MLC) after a long struggle, said the NGO report.
Moreover, Annavasal police who controls Veerapatti village were yet to file FIR, and it is alleged that the police are hand-in-glove with the attackers.
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