Despite over 70 per cent voters across Tamil Nadu turning up at the ballot boxes to vote, as of 3 PM on Thursday, one village has grabbed headlines for boycotting the assembly elections completely.
This is the Perumpathu village near Nanguneri in the Tirunelveli district, where all 969 voters have refused to cast their vote at polling station #290.
As a result, the polling station has been left deserted for hours since voting began at 7 AM on Thursday, as per a Daily Thanthi report.
The report added that this boycott was being done on purpose—as a sign of protest—because the residents of Perumpathu were furious at not receiving justice for the gruesome double murder of March 2.
Back on March 2, a gang had entered the Perumpathu village at night and had attacked five people outside a tea shop, killing two and injuring the rest.
The incident led to the deaths of Trinath Kata, an Odisha-origin worker, and John Mark, a native of the village, causing panic and leading the people to demand justice.
At the time, the Nanguneri Police had registered a case, under which six people were detained.
However, as the investigation progressed, the villagers grew dissatisfied, demanding that the Tirunelveli district collector visit the area, condemn the incident, and take stringent action against the accused, as well as those allegedly supporting them.
These unfulfilled demands grew into a call for boycotting the elections—evident as early as a week ago, when some election officials who visited the village to facilitate postal voting returned after the elderly residents declined to participate.