Joy in Vachathi after court verdict

DHARMAPURI:It was relief and jubilation for the residents of Vachathi village after their 19-year wait for justice came to an end on Thursday.Fireworks and decorations were seen across the tribal village ever since the judgment in the case was delivered on Thursday.As word about the verdict spread, the villagers who thronged the Dharmapuri district court premises shouted slogans in support of their community. They also lauded the district court for its verdict.On Friday, the villagers, including the 18 rape victims, hosted a feast to celebrate the landmark verdict.According to a rape victim, “The judgment will serve as a lesson to those who try to harass those from the tribal community.” Residents of neighbouring hamlets also joined in the celebrations with Vachathi, which also hosted traditional cultural programmes throughout the day. Special poojas were also performed at the Mariyamman Temple.A team of CPM cadre, led by Harur MLA P Dillibabu  who championed the cause and Tamil Nadu Tribal People Association president P Shanmugam also visited the village and interacted with the residents.“The villagers finally got relief after a 19-year-long struggle for justice,” Dillibabu said.The celebrations would continue for a week, said the jubilant villagers, who have asked their relatives working in places like Tirupur, Coimbatore, Erode, Chennai and Bengaluru to join them. The village head Perumal and his wife Kuppu were also felicitated.Interestingly, according to police sources officials from the forest department and police department have been asked to stay away from the village to avoid any untoward incidents. They had also been ordered to avoid field visits to the area for a couple of months, they added.