Chithralekha, a Dalit autorickshaw driver and long-time critic of alleged caste-based discrimination and political persecution by CPI (M) supporters in Kannur, passed away in October 2024 at the age of 47.
Published Jan 10, 2025 | 10:43 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 10, 2025 | 11:17 AM
File photo of Chithralekha and Shreeskanth. (Supplied)
On Tuesday, 7 January, Sreeshkant M, the widower of late Dalit activist E Chithralekha, was brutally attacked by a group of suspected CPI (M) supporters at his residence in Kuthirathadam, Valapattanam, Kannur.
The assailants reportedly barged into his home and assaulted the 49-year-old with an iron rod, breaking his left leg.
Valapattanam SI speaking with South First confirmed that a case has been registered against Shaji, who is currently absconding, under Sections 329(3), 126(2), and 118(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“We are actively searching for him. Shreeshkant has been admitted to the hospital, and we need to record more statements from him. At present, we have not found any political motives behind the attack; it appears to have stemmed from a personal dispute,” the officer stated. If found guilty, the accused could face a sentence ranging from one year to life imprisonment.
Chithralekha, a Dalit autorickshaw driver and long-time critic of alleged caste-based discrimination and political persecution by CPI (M) supporters in Kannur, passed away in October 2024 at the age of 47. Her life was marked by relentless struggles against caste prejudice and violence.
Chithralekha’s autorickshaws were torched twice, in 2005 and 2023. Both she and her husband were physically assaulted on multiple occasions and denied the right to earn a livelihood.
When the Congress-led UDF government allocated her a five-cent plot of land, it led to intense protests by CPI (M) workers, and the financial assistance granted to her was stalled after the LDF came to power in 2016.
In June 2024, the AAP provided her with a replacement autorickshaw. However, she and her husband were barred from operating it in Kannur City.
Chithralekha’s protest banners outside the Secretariat once boldly declared, against the casteist attacks of CPM.
Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August 2024, Chithralekha continued to face humiliation even during her medical treatment. She alleged discriminatory behaviour at the government-run Malabar Cancer Centre in Kodiyeri, Thalassery.
Despite battling both illness and social ostracism, her resistance symbolized resilience against systemic oppression.
(Edited by Sumavarsha with inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman)
