A fresh incident of violence against a tribal youth in Kerala's Palakkad district has emerged, casting a shadow over the region still reeling from the public outrage over the Walayar mob lynching. The case involves the brutal assault of a 26-year-old Adivasi man in Attappady, with his family now alleging police indifference and demanding stringent legal action.
The Assault and Allegations of Theft
According to a complaint filed in Attappady, the victim, 26-year-old Manikandan, a resident of Paloor, was subjected to a savage attack on December 7. The assailant, identified as Ramaraj, a wholesale dealer of medicinal plants, allegedly accused Manikandan of stealing the root of a medicinal plant. The attack left the tribal youth with grievous injuries, including a skull fracture.
Despite the severity of the assault, the initial police response has come under severe criticism. The Puthur police registered a case against Ramaraj, but only invoked minor sections of the law. An FIR was filed under Sections 126(2) for wrongful restraint and 115(2) for voluntarily causing hurt of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Delayed Medical Discovery and Police Inaction
The full extent of Manikandan's injuries came to light days after the attack. On December 9, he travelled to Kozhikode to play tribal instruments for an election campaign. During the event, he collapsed. Upon being admitted to a hospital, doctors discovered serious internal injuries and immediately alerted the police.
Manikandan's family has leveled serious allegations against the police's handling of the case. They state that although police officials came to Kozhikode to collect information after being alerted by the doctors, they acted with marked indifference. The youth is currently undergoing treatment at the Attappady Tribal Taluk Speciality Hospital and was in the ICU when his statement was finally recorded by the police on December 16.
Family's Demand for Justice
Frustrated by what they perceive as a diluted police response, Manikandan's family is demanding that the case be registered under more stringent laws. They have called for the invocation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for charges of attempted murder to be added against the accused, Ramaraj.
This incident in Attappady follows closely on the heels of the Walayar mob lynching, which had triggered widespread condemnation across Kerala. The recurrence of such violence, particularly against individuals from marginalized tribal communities, raises urgent questions about their safety and the responsiveness of the law enforcement machinery in the state.
