Chennai, Nov 6 : Tamil Nadu Police has been put on high alert in the southern region of the state following the assault on a 17-year-old Dalit teenager in Melapattam village in Tirunelveli district.

An official said that six persons have been identified as accused while around four have been apprehended, remaining two are still at large.

SP N. Silambarasan said that a special team has been formed to arrest the accused, adding that they have also reviewed the CCTV footage, which showed around six individuals leaving the village on two-wheelers following the attack.

Meanwhile, Dalit residents of Melapattam staged a road blockade, demanding the arrest of all those involved in the attack.

The incident occurred on Monday when the victim was nearly struck by a speeding car while walking near his house.

A heated argument ensued between the Dalit teenager and the men in the car, but a bystander intervened, defusing the situation temporarily. However, later that evening, the same group reportedly returned and assaulted the boy.

He was struck on the head with a beer bottle and attacked with a sickle, resulting in severe injuries. The victim is currently receiving treatment at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital.

Southern Tamil Nadu districts like Tirunelveli, Theni, Madurai, and Kanyakumari have witnessed repeated incidents of violent attacks on Dalits, often leading to serious injuries and fatalities. The caste-related violence remains a persistent issue in Tamil Nadu as such incidents occur periodically.

Sources said that the state intelligence recently issued a warning to officers in southern Tamil Nadu about potential caste-related violence in the districts of Madurai, Theni, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari.

Following the DMK government's assumption of power under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, there was a wave of revenge killings between Dalit communities and other caste groups in the Madurai and Tirunelveli districts.

In these attacks, over four individuals lost their lives, prompting Tamil Nadu's DGP to camp in Madurai and impose strict measures to curb the violence.

During this period, shops selling knives, machetes, sickles, and other farm equipment were instructed to record the phone numbers and addresses of buyers. This measure contributed to a temporary reduction in violent incidents.

Police sources said that these warnings are routine and intend to help district and regional police leaders prepare for any potential unrest.

Despite decades of governance by Dravidian political parties like the DMK and AIADMK, caste tensions remain a harsh reality in Tamil society, sometimes erupting into brutal violence with deadly consequences.

/IANS