Tamil Nadu Woman Charged for Blocking Dalit Students from Using Public Path: Video Sparks Outrage

An elderly woman in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur is facing charges after allegedly blocking Dalit students from using a common path. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows her preventing schoolchildren from walking along a community route.

According to police reports, the confrontation occurred in Kollangarai village in Thanjavur Taluk. The footage shows several uniformed students attempting to use the pathway when an elderly woman blocks their progress with a stick while verbally ordering them not to proceed.

Thanjavur Taluk police confirmed that a First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against the woman and her family members. A senior police official stated on Saturday, "No arrests have been made so far. An FIR has been registered against the woman and family members. Investigation is going on."

Local residents have reportedly complained that family members were preventing them from using what is locally referred to as 'vandi pathai' or 'vehicle route' - a common pathway meant for public use. Villagers previously alleged they were forced to take a significantly longer alternative route, walking approximately 1.5 km around a waterbody to reach their destinations.

The case has drawn attention to ongoing issues of access and discrimination faced by Dalit communities in parts of rural Tamil Nadu.