TN farmer assaults Dalit youth, arrested

Chennai, Jan 28 (IANS) A 45-year-old farmer has been arrested on the charges of assaulting a youth, who belongs to Arunthathiyar community, near his coconut grove at Athimagulapulli village in Tamil Nadu.

The arrested farmer is identified as C.Ramesh Babu

Police said that the incident took place on Wednesday when the victim, S. Rajesh (22) who lives in the Arunthathiyar colony in the village along with his friends, had partied on a coconut grove that belongs to Babu who is a farmer.

Ramesh Babu had reached the grove to collect coconuts to transport them to the wholesale market in Vellore when he saw Rajesh and his friends on his farm.

Finding Rajesh and his friends in his coconut grove, Ramesh Babu shouted at them and hurled abuses. This led to a heated argument that led to Ramesh Babu assaulting Rajesh.

Police further said that on hearing the arguments, relatives and neighbours of Babu rushed in support of him and all of them attacked Rajesh.

Based on the alert, Umarabad police came to the spot and took the injured Rajesh to the Government Taluk Hospital in Ambur town.

Rajesh filed a complaint and police registered a case against Babu.

Babu was arrested and lodged in the sub-jail in Tirupattur town.