1957 Ramnad riots
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The Ramnad riots refer to a series of politically motivated violent clashes that occurred during the months of July-September 1957 in the Ramnad district, in southern Tamil Nadu, India. In the 1957 general elections All India Forward Bloc stalwart U. Muthuramalingam Thevar had contested both the Aruppukottai parliamentary seat as well as the Mudukulathur seat in the legislative assembly of the Madras State. He had won in both cases, defeating the Congress candidates. After the election he chose to retain his parliamentary seat, and a bye-election was called for the Mudukulathur assembly constituency.
The bye-election was held on July 1. The Forward Bloc candidate D.V. Sasivarna Thevar won it. When the results were released on July 4, the situation in the area was tense. A large quantity of armed police were present.
Gradually incidents of violent clashes between Thevars (who generally supported the Forward Bloc) and pro-Congress Dalits began to occur. Initially these clashes were limited to a handful of villages, but after some time the violence had spread throughout the constituency.
A ‘peace conference’ was held on September 10. It was attended by U. Muthuramalingam Thevar (who had returned the preceding day from Delhi), D.V. Sasivarna Thevar and Velu (a Dalit assembly member) from the Forward Bloc, a delegation of six Dalits from the Congress and Soundra Pandia Nadar (a representative from the Nadar caste). The conference was convened by the Ramnad district collector. The conference delegates to resolve that harmony between the three communities was again restored.
210.18.107.2 13:48, 29 March 2007 (UTC)==Escalation==
Sep 10. The peace meeting was held in a near by village called Mudukulathur.
On September 11 Emmanuel Sekaran, the leader of the Dalit/Congress delegation at the peace conference was murdered in Paramakudi.
Ther Murder of Emmanuel Sekaran was purely for not respecting Muthuramalinga Thevar in the peace meeting which was held on Sep 10. 1957.
He was murdered when he was Just 33.
On September 13 clashes erupted at Arumkulam. 5 Dalits and 3 Thevars were killed, and their bodies were thrown unto fire. 2 of the Thevars and 1 of the Dalits were women.
On September 14 a group of armed police entered the village Kulathooval in order to arrest suspects in the Emmanuel murder case. 5 Thevars were killed in police firing. According to Forward Bloc sources the five were blindfolded and executed. A police inquiry commission later refuted that perception.
On September 16 clashes erupted in villages like Veerambal, Arumbakkan, Irulandapatti and Sandakottai. In the two latter places 60 Dalits (including one woman) were killed.
On the same day the Thevar village of Ilanchambol was attacked by a Dalit mob. The village had been deserted by the police two days earlier. Five Thevars were killed in the attack. The attack was interrupted as Thevars from the neighbouring village of Keelapanayur arrived, driving of the Dalits and killing two.
On September 17 police opened fire on Forward Bloc cadres in the village of Keeranthai. Five of the killed were Thevars and one was a Dalit.
On September 18 Dalit houses were torched in Thandikudi.
On September 19 hundreds of houses, belonging to both Thevars and Dalits, were torched in the villages of Piramanur, Vadi, Tiruppuvanam, Nallur and Tiruppachatti. On the following day police opened fire on a Thevar mob, but with no casualties.
On September 20 police firing killed 5 Thevars, 4 in Uluthumadi and 1 in Malavavanenthall. In Veerambal, Thevars stormed a church were a group of Dalits had sought refuge. 2 Dalits were killed and 32 injured.
On September 21 clashes occurred in some places. But from the following day onwards there were no reported incidents.
210.18.107.2 13:55, 29 March 2007 (UTC)==Escalation==
Sep 10. The peace meeting was held in a near by village called Mudukulathur.
On September 11 Emmanuel Sekaran, the leader of the Dalit/Congress delegation at the peace conference was murdered in Paramakudi.
Ther Murder of Emmanuel Sekaran was purely for not respecting Muthuramalinga Thevar in the peace meeting which was held on Sep 10. 1957.
He was murdered when he was Just 33. He was Married to Amirtham Grace and he had four female children. Their Names are 1. Mary Vasantha Rani,
2. Poppin Vijaya Rani,
3. Sundarai Prabha Rani,
4. Jansi Rani.
This was edited by one of the Grand children for Emmanuel Sekaran..
On September 13 clashes erupted at Arumkulam. 5 Dalits and 3 Thevars were killed, and their bodies were thrown unto fire. 2 of the Thevars and 1 of the Dalits were women.
On September 14 a group of armed police entered the village Kulathooval in order to arrest suspects in the Emmanuel murder case. 5 Thevars were killed in police firing. According to Forward Bloc sources the five were blindfolded and executed. A police inquiry commission later refuted that perception.
On September 16 clashes erupted in villages like Veerambal, Arumbakkan, Irulandapatti and Sandakottai. In the two latter places 60 Dalits (including one woman) were killed.
On the same day the Thevar village of Ilanchambol was attacked by a Dalit mob. The village had been deserted by the police two days earlier. Five Thevars were killed in the attack. The attack was interrupted as Thevars from the neighbouring village of Keelapanayur arrived, driving of the Dalits and killing two.
On September 17 police opened fire on Forward Bloc cadres in the village of Keeranthai. Five of the killed were Thevars and one was a Dalit.
On September 18 Dalit houses were torched in Thandikudi.
On September 19 hundreds of houses, belonging to both Thevars and Dalits, were torched in the villages of Piramanur, Vadi, Tiruppuvanam, Nallur and Tiruppachatti. On the following day police opened fire on a Thevar mob, but with no casualties.
On September 20 police firing killed 5 Thevars, 4 in Uluthumadi and 1 in Malavavanenthall. In Veerambal, Thevars stormed a church were a group of Dalits had sought refuge. 2 Dalits were killed and 32 injured.
On September 21 clashes occurred in some places. But from the following day onwards there were no reported incidents.
