As many as 30 people were injured in riots erupted in Theni district of Tamil Nadu, between Hindus and Muslims following a funeral procession of a Dalit woman was attacked in a Muslim-majority area. Fifty houses, two shops and several vehicles were reportedly damaged in the riots.
Quoting the police the pro-CPM daily, The Hindu, reported that when Vanniammal, an aged Dalit woman, died on April 24, her relatives and friends decided to take out the funeral procession through Muslim Street in Bomminaickanpatti village near Periyakulam.
The procession was attacked by the procession as soon as it entered the Muslim Street. After the Dalits were ostracised by Muslims, the Hindus allegedly intercepted an outsider, a Muslim man, in their village on Saturday. This led to a scuffle between the two communities. Following the incident, the security has been beefed up and more than 200 police personnel were deployed in the area. Jayamangalam police have registered a case.
