Near Udumalaipettai, villagers of Sundakkampalayam confronted officials over alleged misuse of funds meant for road construction in Dalit areas, demanding action against those involved in the irregularities.
Coimbatore: Tensions flared near Udumalaipettai in Tirupur district as villagers of Sundakkampalayam confronted officials over alleged misappropriation of funds meant for road construction in Dalit-inhabited areas. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday, has sparked widespread controversy in the region.
According to sources, a sum of Rs 21 lakh was allocated for constructing roads in areas predominantly inhabited by Dalits in Sundakkampalayam village, under the Podipatti Panchayat. However, villagers accused the Podipatti Panchayat President Soundarajan, affiliated with the DMK, and other officials of misusing the funds to build roads in a nearby private layout instead.
Frustrated by the lack of action despite previous complaints to the district administration and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), the villagers surrounded the officials who had come for an inspection as per NCSC orders. A heated argument ensued, with the residents demanding immediate action against those involved in the alleged fraud.
The villagers stated that they have been seeking proper road construction in Dalit-inhabited areas and action against the culprits for the past two years. They expressed their disappointment with the authorities' apparent negligence in addressing their grievances. "If no action is taken against the Panchayat President and the officials involved, we have decided to gather en masse and stage a protest," warned one of the residents.
The confrontation has created a tense atmosphere in Udumalaipettai, with locals keenly watching how the authorities will respond to these serious allegations of fund misuse and neglect of Dalit communities' infrastructure needs.