Tamil Nadu woman stops Dalit boys from using public lane
India
In Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, a woman was booked after allegedly stopping Dalit students from using a public lane in Kollangarai village.
Video footage shows her holding a stick and shouting casteist slurs while blocking their way on the 'vandi pathai' (vehicle route).
Case has sparked outrage locally, put spotlight on caste issues
Villagers say locals had blocked the lane by planting banana saplings, forcing the students to walk an extra 1.5km for over two weeks until some youths stepped in.
Police have filed an FIR against the woman and her family for denying access and caste discrimination, though no arrests have been made yet.
The case has sparked outrage locally and put a spotlight on ongoing caste issues in Tamil Nadu as police continue their investigation.