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Papri Sri Raman
Seventeen upper caste Hindus accused of murdering six dalits have been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Salem court in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
Those sentenced are among 41 upper caste Hindus accused of killing the six dalit men in a gang attack on June 30, 1997, at Melavalavu village in Madurai district.
The attack came after a member of the dalit community was elected as head, and six others as members of the village council.
The upper caste Hindus were opposed to having dalits in the village council. Six months after their election, six dalit men including the council leader were hacked to death.
Communal tension has racked the village since the murders and key witnesses said they feared for their lives if the case was tried in Madurai.
The Supreme Court finally decided to hold the case in the Salem sessions court.
Indo-Asian News Service
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