This is the second piece in the series about Lynching in India.
The widespread and frequent lynching and assault propelled by mobs across India against various minority groups have created an environment of unrest and fear. The groups have been mostly targeting the weaker section of people. Marginalized sections like transgenders, migrant workers, and Dalits are easy prey to mob attacks.
The mobs target the weaker sections as they don't have the inherent strength to resist the attacks.
Kerala, looked upon as one of the most literate states across India has had its own episodes of mob violence which has more often than not resulted in the loss of human life. The death of Madhu Chindaki, a twenty-seven-year-old tribal man who belonged to the Kurumba tribe and lived in Attapady in the forests of the Western Ghats, is the evidence of Indian caste-based social reality. It shows the prejudices that are still prevalent against the oppressed sections in the much claimed progressive state of Kerala.
Further, Madhu Chindaki was mentally ill, and thus even more vulnerable because of both his tribal identity and his mental illness.
The mob caught hold of him and beat him and kicked him and took photos and uploaded it to social media. The mob kept beating brutally and tied Madhu’s hands and brought him to Mukkali village junction where he was alleged to have stolen from the shops. A mob was seen abusing and beating Madhu over there in a video clipping. A person seems to have informed Police Station at Agali, that a mob has caught a thief and is beating him. The police rushed to Mukkali at 3.00 pm and having found Madhu beaten by the mob rushed him to the Community Health Centre at Agali. On the way to Thavalam, Madhu vomited and police gave him water and then rushed to CHC at Agali for medical assistance. At Agali, the doctors checked and declared him dead and kept the body at the mortuary.
There are 192 tribal hamlets- Adivasi ooru in Attapadi and the tribal population consists of Muduga, Irula, and Kurumba, and a few Badagas as well and settlers from other districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Madhu, the victim belongs to the Kurumba tribe the most primitive tribe of the region. The majority tribe remains Irulas. There are 27121 people (41% of the total population) in three tribes that inhabit Attapadi. On the one hand, the population of Adivasis is reducing and on the other hand, the population of migrants/settlers gets increased. According to the 1951 census, 90.32% of the population were Adivasis.
While the overall literacy rate of Kerala is 90%, the Attapadi block has only achieved 58% and this data includes the literacy rate of the migrant settlers who have their basic education. When it is compared with the literacy rate of the Adivasi population in Attapadi, the percentage averages only 25%. The fact remains, that the facts represented by the State do not reflect the real educational status of marginalized communities.
Like other pieces in the series, this is priced at 0.47 ETH to mark the independence o India by 1947. After all these years, independence has never been the same for all.
