A sense of fear and anxiety pervades the hamlets around Kaniyamoor near Chinna Salem, where large-scale violence occurred at a private school 20 days ago following the death of a Class XII girl student.
Villagers allege that the police have indiscriminately arrested youths and able-bodied men from these habitations on suspicion of their involvement in the rioting and arson. Properties of the Sakthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School and police vehicles, worth several crores of rupees, were destroyed during the violence on July 17.
Most of those picked up by the police for “interrogation” have not returned to their families.
