Rail roko in Tamil Nadu after police lathi charge Dalit family

Residents in Tiruvannamalai on Monday staged a rail roko after a video showing Tamil Nadu policemen beating three members of a Dalit family went viral.

Residents in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvannamalai staged a ‘rail roko’ on Monday after a video showing policemen beating up three members of a Dalit family went viral on the social media.

The video, which was recorded by bystanders in Chengam, shows three policemen – identified as Murugan, Vijaya Kumar, and Nammazhavar -- beating an autodriver, Raja, his wife and their son, after what looked like a heated exchange. (A still from the video)

The video, which was recorded by bystanders in nearby Chengam, shows the three officials – identified as Murugan, Vijaya Kumar, and Nammazhavar -- thrashing an auto-driver, Raja, his wife and their son, after what looked like a heated exchange.

Police told HT that the 45-year-old Raja was seen quarrelling with his wife on their way to a jewellery shop. The policemen intervened and Raja began arguing with them, officials said.

However, they failed to explain why the policemen started hitting Raja and his 40-year-old wife, before turning their attention to their 18-year-old son who was trying to rescue his father.

The policemen have since been transferred to the Armed Reserve Constabulary.

Raja and his family were taken to a private hospital in Chengum.