A 17-year-old Dalit boy was brutally beaten and tied to a tree overnight by upper caste men near Thenkaraikottai village in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district.

Tharun had worked at his attacker, Ramakrishnan’s, paddy threshing unit for six days before quitting to work with a relative.

Ramakrishnan reportedly spoke badly about Tharun to his uncle. This led to a confrontation.

On April 30, Tharun and his friend were passing through Thenkaraikottai village when he spotted Ramakrishna and questioned him about his bad mouthing.

Ramakrishnan invited them to his petrol pump, where both the boys were attacked. Although his friend escaped, Tharun was tied to a tree and beaten for several hours with bamboo sticks, iron rods, and belts.

Ramakrishna and his men also shouted casteist slurs during the assault.

Tharun was later found badly injured by his family, who rushed him to the Harur Government Hospital. His condition is said to be critical.

A case has been registered under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Five people, including Ramakrishna, his sons – Selvam and Senthil – and employees Selvaraj and Senthil, have been arrested and are in judicial custody.