Tamil Nadu: Rising violence among students in Nanguneri raises concerns over caste-related clashes

Chennai: Nanguneri, a town in Tirunelveli district, has recently witnessed a troubling surge in violence among students, raising alarms about the influence of caste-related tensions and political manipulation on young minds. On August 8, local police arrested three government school students for allegedly bringing a knife to school with the intent to attack their teacher. The students, dissatisfied with their low examination marks, believed their teacher was responsible for their poor performance and devised a plan to confront him violently.

The incident unfolded when one of the students brought a knife to school on August 7. Upon learning of the threat, the teacher promptly alerted the police, who conducted an inquiry and arrested the trio the following day. They were subsequently presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a government home for minors.

In a separate incident, a group of seven students from a private school in Valliyoor attacked a Class 11 student over a prior dispute related to the formation of the school union. On August 6, the group pushed the victim, resulting in an injury near his eye. The Valliyoor police registered a case against the minors and presented them to the Juvenile Justice Board on August 7. The victim received treatment at Radhapuram government hospital, while the school administration facilitated discussions between the parents of both the victim and the accused students.

Following counseling provided by the Juvenile Justice Board, the students were allowed to return home. Deputy Superintendent of Police R. Yogesh Kumar emphasized that there was no caste angle involved in this particular incident, despite the ongoing concerns about caste-related violence in the region.

Tirunelveli district is grappling with a disturbing trend of violence among students, highlighted by a recent incident at Kendriya Vidyalaya where a 9th-grade student attacked a classmate with a sickle on August 2. The attack reportedly stemmed from a minor altercation the previous day, when the victim accidentally spilled water on the assailant while retrieving his lunch.

This incident follows a series of violent events in the region, including an attempted murder of a college student in Palayamkottai on August 1, where a four-member gang fled the scene. In December, two Class XI students attacked a teacher with a machete and knife, and in 2022, a Class 12 student was stabbed by a classmate in Kalakad.

The recent spate of violence has raised alarms about the influence of caste-related conflicts among students, particularly in the Valliyoor and Nanguneri regions. Critics argue that these incidents contradict the DMK government’s claims of promoting social justice and a casteless society. Observers warn that if the government fails to address these issues, southern Tamil Nadu could become increasingly prone to violence.

In response to the rising tensions, the Tamil Nadu government tasked retired High Court judge K Chandru to provide recommendations for mitigating caste conflicts in schools. However, his report has drawn criticism for allegedly containing anti-Hindu recommendations and favoring minority groups. BJP leader H Raja condemned the report, stating that it includes impractical suggestions, such as prohibiting students from wearing colored wristbands and forehead marks (tilaka), which he claims are influenced by evangelical groups.

BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai also criticised Justice Chandru’s remarks about the “saffronisation of education,” arguing that they reflect a narrow perspective. He contended that the glorification of Dravidian ideology in school textbooks is equally problematic and warned that introducing elections in schools could further entrench caste politics.