Three attacks are a reminder that caste tensions still simmer in Tamil Nadu

A veshti, a Royal Enfield motorcycle and a kabbadi trophy.

In Tamil Nadu, the mere possession of these things nearly killed three young boys early this year.

Adhisesan P, R Iyyasamy and Devendran Raj don’t know each other, but they are around the same age: Iyyasamy is 20 years old, while Devendran and Adhisesan are in their late teens. All three have wavy hair, hail from villages in the southern part of Tamil Nadu, and are from Dalit communities.

During Pongal festivities in January, Adhisesan was brutally beaten and struck with a stone that caused deep lacerations on his head. In February, Iyyasamy was hacked with a sickle while he was returning home on his bike. In March, Devendran was forced to get off a bus while he was on his way to write his final school exam; he was hacked on his head and hands, leaving three fingers severed.

In all three cases, the attackers were young boys from dominant caste communities in their villages.

The stories of all the three boys appeared in the newspapers on the following days, and then faded from public view. But they are still living with the pain and shock of the attacks.

The village of Sankampatti is located in the town of Usilampatti in...

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