Funeral land used by the planned caste in the village of T. Mangapatti Puthur in Thalugai Panchayat in Tiruch. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The inhabitants of T. Mangapatti Puthur, a planned caste village in Thalugai Panchayat in the Tiruchi district, demanded official recognition and basic infrastructure to the burial ground, which was temporarily assigned to them last year.
Thalugai Panchayat includes five villages, including T. Mangapatti Puthur around 50 SC families. For decades, Hamlet had no funeral ground, unlike other communities in Panchayat. The inhabitants carried out the last ceremonies along the shores of the Thalugai water canal, practice, say, undermining their dignity and often led to disputes.
After permanent petitions and protests, part of the land near the unused pond was assigned last year as a temporary funeral site. However, the place was not officially recorded in records of income from the village.
R. Sundarraj, a resident, said, “We had no country for ages to bury our loved ones as opposed to other communities. We were forced to use the edge of the water canal. Now that we have a place, we want it to be officially recognized so that it cannot be questioned in the future.”
G. Ramesh, Minister of Rural District of All India Kisan Sabha (AiKs), urged the district administration to act according to the population requirements. The inhabitants demanded a protective wall around the burial ground and the founding of the cremation facility in it. “A well -defined, properly maintained space will ensure dignity during the last ceremonies,” he said.
The official from the Rural Development Department said they deal with this matter.
Published – 31 May 2025 20:42