Thangam Vs The Superintendent of Police — Madras HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Thangam Vs The Superintendent of Police — Madras HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition disposed of with directions to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam to take over both investigations, file final reports, prevent social boycott or exclusion of the petitioner and family from common village functions including temple festivals, and ensure adequate police protection to them.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondent police should be directed to provide adequate police protection to the petitioner and his family members, who allege social boycott and exclusion from temple and village functions following an inter-caste marriage. +1 more

Court's answer

The Court directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam to ensure that the petitioner and his family members are not subjected to social boycott or exclusion from participating in common village functions, including temple festivals.

Ratio / Principle

The Court directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam to take up the investigation in both cases and file the final reports in the respective FIRs.

Key takeaways

The Court further directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam to ensure that adequate police protection is provided to the petitioner and his family members.ratio¶31

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Police protection — Social boycott — Inter-caste marriage — Madras High Court (M. Nirmal Kumar, J.) disposed of CRL OP No.14096 of 2026 filed by Thangam seeking police protection. The petitioner alleged that after his son Kathir's inter-caste marriage (Nadar–Vanniyar) about nine years earlier, villagers in Karuppur, Salem district, barred the family from entering the village temple and participating in temple festivals; attacked them when they objected to a festival cooking shed obstructing their passage; and passed a resolution imposing social boycott and refusing common funds. Two FIRs (Crime Nos.6 of 2026 and 53 of 2026, Karuppur Police Station) saw no progress. Allowing the prayer, the Court directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam to take up both investigations and file final reports, to ensure the family is not subjected to social boycott or exclusion from common village functions including temple festivals, and to ensure adequate police protection.

CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS

DATED: 04-06-2026

CORAM

THE HON'BLE MR JUSTICE M. NIRMAL KUMAR

CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

Thangam

..Petitioner(s)

Vs

The Superintendent of Police, No.2, Sankari Main Road, Nethimedu, Salem - 636 002.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police, No.2, Sankari Main Road, Nethimedu, Salem - 636 002.

The Inspector of Police, Karuppur Police Station, Salem District - 636 012.

..Respondent(s)

To direct the Respondent Police to provide adequate police protection to the Petitioner and her family members for their life and limb and to pass such further or other orders as this Honble Court may deem fit and proper in the circumstances of the case.

For Petitioner(s): M/s.N.Mohanapriya For Respondent(s): Mr.A.Amarnath, Government Advocate (Crl. Side)

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CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

ORDER

The petitioner submitted representations to the District, Collector and the Superintendent of Police, Salem, seeking Police protection. Since the said representations have not been considered, the present Criminal Original Petition has been filed.

The contention of the petitioner is that he belongs to the Nadar Community, whereas the majority of the Villagers belong to Vanniyar Community. About nine years ago, his son, namely Kathir, married one Rajakumari, who belongs to Vanniyar Community and they have been blessed with two girl children. Though the father of Rajakumari accepted their marriage, the other Villagers did not accept the inter-caste marriage. Consequently, the petitioner and his family members were not permitted to enter the Village Temple and worship the deity. They were also prevented from participating in Temple festivals and threatened by the Villagers. Hence, he lodged complaints, pursuant to which, two FIRs were registered in Crime Nos.6 of 2026 and 53 of 2026 and thereafter, no action has been taken.

Thereafter, Villagers erected a shed in front of the petitioner’s house for cooking in connection with the Temple festival, thereby, obstructing the passage. When the petitioner objected to the same, he and his family members were attacked by the Villagers. The Tahsildar, Omalur and Officials of

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CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

Karuppur Police Station intervened and rescued them during the attack. Thereafter, the Villagers passed a resolution stating that the petitioner and his family members should not enter into the Temple and participate in the Temple festivals. They also refused to collect common funds from them. According to the petitioner, he and his family members have been subjected to assault and social boycott, hence the present petition has been filed.

The learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) submitted that the two FIRs have been registered in connection with the matter and that the investigations are still pending.

Considering the above submissions, this Court passes the following directions:

i) The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam. shall take up the investigation in both the cases and file the final reports in the respective FIRs.

ii) The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam, shall ensure that the petitioner and his family members are not subjected to social boycott or exclusion from participating in common village functions, including Temple festivals.

iii) The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam, shall further ensure that adequate police protection is provided to the petitioner and his family members.

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CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

With the above directions, this Criminal Original Petition is disposed of.

04-06-2026

Index: Yes/No Speaking/Non-speaking order Neutral Citation: Yes/No PVS

To

The Superintendent of Police, No.2, Sankari Main Road, Nethimedu, Salem - 636 002.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Suramangalam

The Deputy Superintendent of Police, No.2, Sankari Main Road, Nethimedu, Salem - 636 002.

The Inspector of Police, Karuppur Police Station, Salem District - 636 012.

The Public Prosecutor, High Court, Madras.

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CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

M.NIRMAL KUMAR, J.

PVS

CRL OP No. 14096 of 2026

04-06-2026

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