Tirunelveli- In a shocking revelation, Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu has reported 1,097 cases of caste-based atrocities against Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities over the past five years. These include violent attacks on indigenous tribal communities, sexual violence against Dalit women, brutal murders, and caste-based discrimination against school students.

The data highlights the state government's alleged inaction and failure to effectively implement the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The Dalit Liberation Movement (DLM), led by its State President S. Karuppaiah, has raised concerns over the government's negligence. Karuppaiah pointed out that when members of Scheduled Tribes are murdered by caste fanatics, cases are not consistently registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which was amended in 2015.

Additionally, affected families are often denied the mandatory family pension as per the 2016 rules. Pension distribution across Tamil Nadu has been uneven, with payments halted for six months since April 2024.

Following persistent efforts by the DLM, which conducted a detailed study and raised the issue, the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department released a lump sum pension of ₹7,500 per beneficiary for six months of arrears. However, the movement argues that this amount falls short of the ₹17,500 monthly pension mandated under current rules.

In a significant development, Karuppaiah, with the support of Madurai People's Watch, filed a petition (W.P.(MD) No. 4190 of 2025) in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court. On February 17, 2025, the court ruled and directed the state government to take appropriate action within eight weeks on petitions filed directly by affected beneficiaries. The court ordered the government to ensure that the families of murder victims receive the enhanced monthly pension.

Karuppaiah has urged all eligible beneficiaries to immediately submit their petitions to the Director of the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department in Chennai via registered post and share copies with him. "This is a hard-fought victory for justice," he said, emphasizing the movement's commitment to ensuring dignity and rights for affected communities.

The High Court's directive marks a crucial step toward addressing systemic failures in providing support to atrocity victims. However, activists continue to demand greater accountability and stricter enforcement of protective laws across the state.