Normalcy has returned to Deevattipatti, where clashes broke out between two caste groups during a local Mariamman temple festival. As of Saturday, district police have arrested 28 individuals from both factions in connection with the violence.
The festival, held in Deevattipatti since the third week of April, became marred by allegations from Scheduled Caste (SC) members who claimed that individuals belonging to the Most Backward Class (MBC) were barring them from entering the temple. Consequently, police and revenue officials halted the festival and sealed the temple premises on Wednesday evening. On Thursday, a peace meeting was held with representatives from both caste groups, during which MBC representatives requested one day’s time to convey their decision on resuming the festvial.
Following the meeting, supporters from both sides gathered at Deevattipatti bus stand and began pelting stones at each other. Additionally, a mob vandalised over 20 local shops and set fire to two others. Additional police forces were deployed, and the situation was swiftly brought under control. Utilizing CCTV footage and social media videos, police have apprehended 28 people from both sides for vandalising public property and have remanded them.
To prevent further unrest, hundreds of police personnel have been stationed in the area for the past three days. Police sources have reported a return to normalcy in the area, with several shops reopening on Saturday. It is anticipated that shops will resume operations from Monday, and a nine-member police team has been deployed in every street of Deevattipatti.
Meanwhile, addressing reporters in Salem, AIADMK general secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami delivered a message on the importance of brotherhood and maintaining peace, and urged the District Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP) to engage in dialogue and restore normalcy to the area.
