In the incident that is well-remembered as a gruesome mockery of democracy and as one of the heinous casteist violence unleashed against the people belonging to the Scheduled Caste community in Tamil Nadu, a bus journey turned into a tragic end for the 35-year-old dalit panchayat president K Murugesan, 39-year-old dalit panchayat vice-president K. Mookan, and four of their aides. During the ride, they were brutally murdered by an armed gang of caste Hindus on this day (June 30), 25 years ago in Madurai district.
Why? Murugesan and Mookan, belonging to the Scheduled Caste were elected to the public office despite strong opposition from the dominant caste Hindus after declaring Melavalavu as a panchayat reserved for Scheduled Castes in September 1996.
