Tamil Nadu: Caste clash leaves Ambedkar statue vandalised in Nagapattinam

Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam): The town of Vedaranyam was tense after a statue of Ambedkar was demolished, following a clash between two groups of different castes in Vedaranyam town in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. 

Shops were closed and bus services halted as a few hundred policemen took positions at vantage points to control the situation.

Two people were injured in the clashes and were admitted to the Nagapattinam Government Hospital.

The clash erupted following injuries caused to a pedestrian belonging to the Dalit community in an accident reportedly caused by a vehicle driven by a person belonging to a dominant Hindu community.

Supporters of the injured person reportedly reacted by setting the vehicle ablaze. Hundreds of members from the dominant community attacked the Dalits and damaged the statue of Ambedkar.

The situation was brought under control late in the night. The inspector general of police, Trichy Zone, V Varadaraju rushed to the spot. The superintendents of police of Nagapattinam and Tiruvarur districts are camping in the town