The rift between the two communities is evident from the fact that they have two separate schools for their children.
Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Brinda Karat was today arrested with some All India Democratic Women's Association activists when they were on their way to a village in Madurai district, which was hit by a clash between upper-caste Hindus and Dalits last year.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Tuesday, ordered a probe into the 'events' relating to visit of Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Brinda Karat, MP to a village near Madurai, which was hit by caste clashes last year.
Responding to calls by Dalit outfits and Left parties, the Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday demolished a small portion of the two decade-old wall built by the dominant Thevar community around their colony at Uthapuram village near Mdurai in Tamil Nadu to prevent entry of Dalits. Over 1,000 armed police on Tuesday descended on the village in the early hours and demolished part of the 600 metre-long wall to provide a pathway to members of SC community living close by.