VCK seeks judicial probe into Ilavarasan’s death

                           March for justice: Members of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi taking out a rally in the city 

Members of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) took out a silent rally here on Friday, demanding a judicial probe into the death of Dalit boy E.Ilavarasan, whose marriage with a Vanniyar girl, Divya, led to caste violence in Dharmapuri district last year.

The rally started at B.R.Ambedkar statue near Alagarkoil Road and passed through Dr.Ambedkar Road, Gandhi Museum Road and District Collector’s Office Road and culminated in front of Thiruvalluvar statue.

State-level VCK functionary Inquilab said the injury marks on the body of the boy led one to believe that it was a cold-blooded murder.

VCK cadre demanded the arrest of Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S.Ramadoss, MLA J.Guru and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss for spreading anti-Dalit feelings among the public, and pointed that their pressure tactics led to the death of Ilavarasan.

Atrocities against the Scheduled Castes had increased during the last two years and there were forums which were openly spreading anti-Dalit rhetoric, Mr.Inquilab.

The VCK men demanded that the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act - 1989 needed to be strengthened to protect the vulnerable sections of the population.

District party secretaries R.Ayyankaalai, S.S.Anbazhagan and A.Chellapandian participated in the rally.

On Friday morning, members of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front, Hill Tribes Association and Democratic Youth Federation of India staged a protest, demanding judicial enquiry into the death of Ilavarasan. Their other major demand was that the Tamil Nadu Government should follow reservation policy in Teacher Eligibility Tests.

VCK workers arrested for attempt to stage protest:

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi workers who were arrested for staging a protest against Dharmapuri llarvarasan’s death in Thanjavur.

The police arrested 55 cadre of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) for attempting to stage demonstration in Thanjavur and Kumbakonam towns on Friday demanding judicial enquiry into the death of Ilavarasan.

Led by Veeran Vetrivendhan, secretary of the Thanjavur district unit of the VCK, about 20 partymen assembled in front of the Thanjavur railway junction and raised slogans, when the police took them into preventive custody for attempting to organise agitation without police permission. They were removed to a nearby marriage hall.

In Kumbakonam town, about 35 VCK cadre led by K. S. Mullaivalavan, district convener of the students’ wing of the party assembled at Gandhi Park and raised slogans, when they were arrested.