Villupuram: Municipality Staff Forced to Fall at DMK Councillor's Feet? Case Filed Under Atrocities Act

Villupuram: A junior assistant from the Scheduled Caste community at the Tindivanam Municipality has filed a police complaint after he was allegedly coerced into falling at the feet of a DMK councillor to apologise. The incident, captured on CCTV and widely circulated online, has sparked significant public outrage and led to the filing of charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against five individuals, including two councillors. 

The incident began when Muniappan, a junior assistant, was asked by DMK councillor Ramya Raja of the 20th ward to retrieve a file related to ward development funds. According to initial reports, a disagreement arose when Muniappan was perceived as being slow to respond to the request. Angered by the exchange, Ramya Raja reportedly lodged a complaint with Ravichandran, the husband of the DMK Town Chairperson, Nirmala, claiming that Muniappan had insulted her and neglected his official duties.

Ravichandran subsequently summoned Muniappan to the Municipal Commissioner's chamber and, in the presence of other officials, allegedly threatened him with job loss unless he apologised to Councillor Ramya Raja. Feeling intimidated and helpless, Muniappan, who is from a Dalit background, knelt and touched the feet of the councillor in a gesture of apology.

Following the public uproar caused by the viral video, Muniappan submitted a formal complaint to Villupuram Superintendent of Police P. Saravanan, detailing the harassment he endured. Based on his account, police have registered a case against Ravichandran, Ramya Raja, Birla Selvam, Ramya’s husband Maroor Raja, and another man named Kamaraj. Police have initiated an investigation, and the accused are reported to have gone into hiding to avoid arrest.

Counter-Complaint Filed by Councillor

In a new development, Councillor Ramya Raja has filed a counter-complaint against Muniappan. She alleges that during their initial encounter, the junior assistant had “grabbed her hand” in an "inappropriate manner" and "attempted to touch her with ill intent," despite her efforts to push him away. Ramya Raja claimed in her complaint that the presence of other men during the incident made her feel humiliated and uncomfortable.

The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders, who have condemned the DMK government for allegedly failing to protect the rights of marginalised communities. The police are now investigating both complaints. 

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