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{{short description|Violence against the Dalit community in Tamil Nadu}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = 2018 Ambalapattu violence
| subtitle = Violence against Dalit community in Ambalapattu, Tamil Nadu
| partof =
| image =
| caption =
| date = 31 December 2017 – 1 January 2018
| place = [[Ambalapattu]], [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates =
| causes = Caste tensions
| goals =
| methods = [[Rioting]], [[assault]]
| status =
| result =
| side1 =
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| leadfigures1 =
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| howmany1 =
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| casualties1 =
| casualties2 =
| casualties3 =
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| fatalities =
| injuries = 8 Dalits (4 hospitalized)
| arrests =6
| damage =*15 Dalit houses Damaged
*15 vehicles belonging to the Dalits were Damaged
*Household items, Television, utensils destroyed
| detentions =
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The '''2018 Ambalapattu violence''' refers to the violence on New Year's Eve of 2018 in a Dalit settlement in the village of [[Ambalapattu]], [[Tamil Nadu]]. The settlement was attacked by dominant caste villagers during the [[New year celebrations]] by the [[Dalit]] community. Around 80 dominant caste villagers damaged Dalit homes, motor-bikes and properties. 8 Dalits were injured and 4 were admitted to the hospital. The attacks led to protests and road blocks by thousands of villagers and political parties across the state to bring the attackers to justice. Six men from the dominant caste community {{clarify|date=April 2025}} were arrested in the next two days for the violence.

== Background ==
The Dalit villagers reside in the settlement of Kudikadu, in the south of the large village of Ambalapattu. This settlement has a dominant caste group consisting of at least 300 [[Kallar (caste)|Kallar]] caste families, and a relatively small Dalit [[Paraiyar]] population consisting of about 60 households. "Little Singapore" and it is also reported that Dalit families were well-educated, with many members working in [[government jobs]].<ref name="Scroll">{{Cite web|last=Govindarajan|first=Vinita|date=3 January 2018|title=Dalit colony in Tamil Nadu attacked by an upper caste mob after its residents ring in the new year|url=https://scroll.in/article/863566/dalit-colony-in-tamil-nadu-attacked-by-a-upper-caste-mob-after-its-residents-ring-in-the-new-year|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126182523/https://scroll.in/article/863566/dalit-colony-in-tamil-nadu-attacked-by-a-upper-caste-mob-after-its-residents-ring-in-the-new-year |archive-date=26 January 2018 |access-date=|website=scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> And the area has been a [[Communism|Communist]] heartland for over 6 decades, with inhabitants opposing oppression by [[Zamindar|Zamindars]] and supporting relationship and [[economic development]] for all classes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Renganathan|first=L.|date=2018-01-13|title=Dalits in Ambalapattu attacked by upper-caste Kallars on New Year's eve|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/dalits-in-ambalapattu-were-attacked-by-upper-caste-kallars-on-new-years-eve/article22428965.ece|access-date=2020-08-13|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>

=== New year celebrations ===
The Dalit community in Kudikadu had planned for a new year celebration on the mid-night of 31 December 2017. The people festooned the colony's entrance with a balloon [[arch]] and celebrated the new year by boiling over milk, a [[Tamils|Tamil]] tradition connected to [[Pongal (festival)|Pongal]] festival. They also celebrated the new year by cutting a cake. For a dance program in which the children of the colony took part, a sound system had been set up. Each year, the colony's youth organize this festivities after raising money from the colony's residents.<ref name="Scroll" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 January 2018|title=Dalit homes vandalised in Thanjavur allegedly by caste-Hindus over NY celebrations|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/dalit-homes-vandalised-thanjavur-allegedly-caste-hindus-over-ny-celebrations-74030|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129213124/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/dalit-homes-vandalised-thanjavur-allegedly-caste-hindus-over-ny-celebrations-74030 |archive-date=29 January 2019 |access-date=2020-08-13|website=The News Minute}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|title=Mob attacks Dalits over celebrations in Thanjai of Tamil Nadu|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2018/jan/02/mob-attacks-dalits-over-celebrations-in-thanjai-of-tamil-nadu-1742171.html|date=2 January 2018|access-date=15 August 2020|newspaper=The New Indian Express}}</ref>

=== Scuffle between the villagers ===
Some Dalit villagers saw a group of youngsters from the dominant caste Kallar group standing close to the entrance of their colony at around 12.30am on 1 January 2018. These men were in the northern area of the village, from a settlement about 3 km away. The Dalit villagers asserted that the men damaged the arch which they built for celebration. This led to a scuffle between the two groups which led to injury to one Dalit man. The scuffle was quickly broken up.<ref name="Scroll" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

== Attacks ==
After an hour, a group of around 80 dominant caste members belonging to the Kallar caste, armed with knives, rods and other weapons, reached the Dalit colony in Kudikadu.<ref name="Scroll" /> They also allegedly brought the weapons in a van.<ref name=":1" /> The dominant caste members reportedly stirred up a quarrel over the sound system which were used for the celebrations. Then they went on rampage, damaging properties and ransacking Dalit houses.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> They reportedly cut off the power supply to the Dalit colony before their attacks.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018-01-03|title=தலித்துகள் மீது சாதி வெறியர்கள் தாக்குதல்; ஆம் இப்பெல்லாம் யார் சார் சாதி பார்க்கிறா?|url=http://www.pattukkottaiinfo.com/caste-fanatics-attack-on-dalits-in-ambalapattu/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180107200643/http://www.pattukkottaiinfo.com:80/caste-fanatics-attack-on-dalits-in-ambalapattu/ |archive-date=7 January 2018 |access-date=2020-08-13|website=Pattukottai News|language=en-US}}</ref> The dominant caste members reportedly screamed ,"Why do you have to wear pants and shirts?" and Why do you need to celebrate New Year, lower caste dogs? during their attacks.<ref name="Scroll" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Jagannath|first=G.|date=2018-01-03|title=Tamil Nadu Dalits attacked for celebrating NY by upper-caste Hindus|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-tamil-nadu-dalits-attacked-for-celebrating-ny-by-upper-caste-hindus-2572477|access-date=2020-08-13|website=DNA India|language=en}}</ref>

The Dalit men begged the attackers to spare their families while the women locked themselves up in their homes in panic as the mob attacked. The attacks lasted for thirty minutes before the attackers left having taught the Dalits "a lesson."<ref name="Scroll" /><ref name=":0" /> Some Dalits locked them up inside their houses while others escaped to the nearby fields.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

The villagers alleged that the violence ended with very few casualties because the Dalit men refrained from fighting back.<ref name=":4" />

== Damages ==
15 motor bikes and 15 houses belonging to the Dalits were damaged.<ref name="Scroll" /> House hold articles including utensils, furniture, water pipes and Televisions were also destroyed.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-01-03|title=மோதலில் முடிந்த புத்தாண்டு கொண்டாட்டம்|url=https://www.tamilmurasu.com.sg/india/story20180103-14737.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121145354/https://www.tamilmurasu.com.sg/india/story20180103-14737.html |archive-date=21 November 2021 |access-date=2020-08-13|website=Tamil Murasu|language=ta|author1=Tamilmurasuweb}}</ref> The sound system was also reportedly destroyed.<ref name=":2" />

The attacks left 8 Dalits seriously injured and 4 men were hospitalized.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="Scroll" />

== Protests ==
The next morning on 1 January 2018, more than a thousand villagers protested to arrest the attackers, to provide compensation to the affected and also demanded the District Collector to visit the spot. The protesters blocked the roads and the traffic was disrupted from 10 am to 1 pm and the vehicles were diverted. High level functionaries of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] and [[Communist Party of India]] and founder of the Adi Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam and members of various parties took part in the road blockade and raised slogans.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=உரத்தநாடு அருகே தலித்துகள் மீது ஜாதி வெறியர்கள் தாக்குதல் குற்றவாளிகளை கைது செய்ய வலியுறுத்தி சாலை மறியல்|url=http://viduthalai.in/component/content/article/155260.html|access-date=2020-08-13|website=viduthalai.in}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=தீண்டாமை ஒழிப்பு முன்னணியினர் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்|url=https://www.dinamani.com/all-editions/edition-nagapattinam/thiruvarur/2018/jan/05/தீண்டாமை-ஒழிப்பு-முன்னணியினர்-ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்-2838993.html|access-date=2020-08-13|website=Dinamani|date=5 January 2018 }}</ref>

The [[Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front]] made a demonstration in front of the [[Tiruvallur]] bus stand condemning the attacks.<ref name=":5" />

== Arrests ==
Two days after the attack 6 men from the kallar community were arrested for the attacks.<ref name="Scroll" /><ref name=":0" />

== Investigations ==
Kathir, the founder of Evidence, a [[Non-governmental organization]] based in [[Madurai]], said caste discrimination is deeply rooted, though in a dormant form, in the social structure of villages in this area. He added that the involvement of many [[left-wing parties]] in the area may also have been the explanation for fewer attacks in the recent times. He said these attacks typically occur when Dalits speak up against attacks against them, or when they progress economically. He said that the society was assaulted as this colony has a lot of members in good government positions.<ref name="Scroll" /><ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[2004 Kalapatti violence]]
* [[2012 Dharmapuri violence]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Riots in India}}

[[Category:Crime in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:2010s in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Social history of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Caste-related violence in India]]
[[Category:Violence against Dalits in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:December 2017 in India]]
[[Category:January 2018 in India]]

2018 Ambalapattu violence - Revision history

imported>MohammadJeffreys at 16:21, 30 July 2025