New viral video: Coimbatore’s Dalit govt employee had first slapped man, then fallen to his feet

Later, a video of Muthusamy falling at the feet of Gopalasamy emerged and created an uproar on social media with many urging police to take action against the person who made the officer prostrate before him.

கோவை மாவட்டம் அன்னூர் ஒட்டர்பாளையத்தில் கிராம உதவியாளர் முத்துச்சாமி,அதே ஊரை சேர்ந்த கோபால்சாமி காலில் விழுந்த விவகாரத்தில் திடீர் திருப்பம்.வி.ஏ.ஓ அலுவலகத்தில் வைத்து முத்துச்சாமி,தகாத வார்த்தையில் பேசி முதலில் கோபால்சாமியை தாக்கும் காட்சிகள் வெளியானது. @News18TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ZgvMKScgow

— Gurusamy (@gurusamymathi) August 13, 2021

However, on August 13, members of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam and Gopalasamy’s relatives approached the Assistant Commissioner’s office in Mettupalayam and provided a complaint asking the police personnel to suspend the complaint filed by Muthusamy and take up action on Gopalasamy’s complaint. They also presented a new video which showed Muthusamy first slapping Gopalasamy and then falling to his feet.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, state secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasiygal Sangam Venugopal said police have assured them of taking action on their complaint.

“We have submitted the video and asked police to take action against the officials. They said they will check our video and take necessary steps. The officials have registered a false complaint against our farmer. We heard that both the officials at the administrative office have been transferred but we don’t want a transfer. They should be suspended and legal action should be initiated against them. If police do not take action, we have planned an agitation on August 17,” he said.

Coimbatore District Collector G S Sameeran had told indianexpress.com on August 7 that he had immediately asked the District Revenue Officer to inquire into the incident. He also said Coimbatore Superintendent of Police Selvanagarathinam has been instructed to file an FIR.

Selvi, assistant officer Muthusamy, Gopalasamy and other staff members who were present during the time of the incident were called for an inquiry.

A team led by District Revenue Officer P S Leela Alex conducted the inquiry at the office. Based on Selvi and Muthusamy’s complaint, Annur police booked Gopalasamy under different sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 and IPC.

According to reports, Muthusamy in his complaint had said Gopalasamy had accidentally fallen down when he intervened to solve the problem and for that, Gopalasamy had asked him to fall to his feet. Gopalasamy had also registered a complaint against Muthusamy but reportedly no case was registered.