A dog’s carcass was dumped at the under-construction house of Dalit woman Chithralekha soon after she criticised CPI(M)’s Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan.
Chithralekha, an autorickshaw driver who has been an iconic figure since her long protest in 2005 demanding protection from social boycotting and caste-violence by CPI(M) workers in Kannur district, posted the pictures of the dog carcass on Facebook.
“I don’t know how long I and my family will be alive. There’s evidence now. The society knows who is responsible for it. This is a dog’s carcass, killed and dumped on my courtyard,” she said.
According to local media, the incident happened soon after Chithralekha criticized CPI(M) Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan over his comments about her.
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It has also come within a week after the LDF government in Kerala had taken away the five-cent land allotted to Chithralekha by the previous UDF government where construction of a house was underway.The issue was then largely dubbed as a vengeance by the CPI(M).
Recently, Chithralekha had come to limelight again after Bollywood director Shekhar Kapur announced that he would soon be making a film on her. The story was sent to him by British film maker Fraser Scott, who was much fascinated by her.
“Amazing Courage under Fire. This Is Chitralekha. Kerala’s first female Dalit Autorikshaw driver," Kapur had said on his Instagram post. "Being from a ‘Lower Caste’, when she tried to drive her rickshaw the local Union told she was not allowed. But she drove anyway. So they ripped up her Auto, set it in fire, ran over her (hospitalising her), made a media campaign accusing her of being a prostitute, and hired a hit man to kill her. But no matter their threats or violence, she never gave up. Setting up a tent outside the Government offices for 120 days till the Chief Minister awarded her damages and stated she has every right as a woman and Dalit to drive an Autorickshaw in Kerala.”
