Tamil Nadu On High Alert! Tirunelveli on Edge After Dalit Student’s Brutal Attack

Police across Tirunelveli and neighboring districts in Tamil Nadu are on high alert following state intelligence warnings of potential caste-based violence, sparked by a savage assault on a Dalit student.

The attack on 17-year-old Devendran, a Class 11 student, on March 10 has stoked fears of retaliation, putting authorities on a razor’s edge in a region long scarred by such tensions.

Devendran, son of daily-wage worker Thanga Ganesh, was ambushed while heading to his school in Palayamkottai for an exam. According to Tamil Nadu police sources, three unidentified assailants dragged him off a bus at Kettiyammalpuram in Thoothukudi district, chopping off fingers from his left hand in a horrifying assault.

His father, present during the attack, was also injured. Three minors are in custody, and the investigation continues, with police confirming the involvement of men from an intermediary caste.

The student’s family points to a recent kabaddi match as the trigger—Devendran’s standout performance led his team to victory over a squad dominated by a rival caste, igniting resentment. “It’s retaliation for his skill on the field,” a relative told police. Southern Tamil Nadu’s history backs this up; minor disputes here have a knack for spiraling into murders and revenge killings.

In 2024 alone, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanyakumari, and Tenkasi logged 176 murders and 204 cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, down slightly from 179 murders in 2023.

Despite Tamil Nadu’s reformist legacy under E.V.R. Periyar, who championed caste eradication, these districts remain a hotspot for clashes. With Devendran recovering after surgery and tensions simmering, police are ramping up patrols and surveillance to head off any escalation, wary of the region’s volatile past.