A disturbing case of caste-based discrimination has emerged from Kollangarai village, where Dalit students were reportedly barred from using a public mud path on their way to school by an elderly woman. The incident, which was caught on video, has triggered widespread condemnation and reignited debates over caste-based inequality in the state.

தஞ்சை ஒன்றியம், கொல்லாங்கரை கிராமத்தில்,
காலம்காலமாக பட்டியலின மக்கள் பயன்படுத்தி வந்த,
பொது பாதையினை, சாதிய ஆதிக்கத்தின் பெயரில், பள்ளி செல்லும், பட்டியலின
மாணவர்களை பொது பாதையில் செல்லக்கூடாது என தடுக்கும் அராஜகம்.
இதற்க்கு @mkstalin என்ன சொல்ல போறாரு,@Anbil_Mahesh#சாதி pic.twitter.com/LHXvb9JE75

— ƙ♬ƦƬϦɨƙ 💙❤️🖤 (@E_quality_5ter) September 25, 2025

Elderly Woman Caught on Camera

The video footage shows a young man escorting a group of Dalit children as an elderly woman attempts to block their path with a stick. Undeterred, the man pushes the stick aside and continues leading the children forward, even as the woman hurls casteist abuses, including the derogatory term “eliya saathi,” directed at the children.

“The path had been recently encroached upon by locals who planted banana saplings, forcing the children to take a one-and-a-half kilometre detour around a waterbody. This encroachment made the original route inaccessible for 18 days until youths from the area intervened.”

Encroachment on Public Path Forces 1.5 km Detour

According to Chellakannu, the Tamil Nadu State President of the Untouchability Eradication Front, the path in question is a “vandi paathai”, a road designated for vehicle use, officially recognized as a public thoroughfare.

However, local residents had recently encroached on the path by planting banana saplings, thereby obstructing access. As a result, Dalit students were forced to take a 1.5 km detour around a nearby waterbody for over 18 days before local youths stepped in to confront the issue.

Authorities Intervene After Public Pressure

Chellakannu stated that although authorities were informed about the encroachment three months ago, no action was taken until the incident went viral and prompted public outrage. The path was subsequently cleared and reopened by the Tahsildar.

Despite an ongoing police inquiry, no First Information Report (FIR) has been filed in the case thus far.

Broader Pattern of Caste Violence in Tamil Nadu

The Kollangarai episode is being seen as part of a broader pattern of caste-based violence and discrimination in Tamil Nadu. In Tirunelveli district alone, over 1,097 cases of atrocities against Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) have been recorded in the past five years. These incidents have ranged from brutal killings and sexual violence to systemic discrimination in educational institutions.

Activists Slam Government Inaction

S. Karuppaiah, State President of the Dalit Liberation Movement (DLM), criticized the state government for its continued negligence in enforcing the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, especially after its 2015 amendment. He noted that many caste-related crimes are not registered under the Act, and victim families often face disruptions in receiving mandatory pensions under the 2016 rules, with payments halted for months in several districts.

Activists and rights groups argue that the incident in Kollangarai reflects deeper systemic failures in addressing caste-based discrimination and ensuring justice for marginalized communities across the state.

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