In the last 11 years, the conviction rate in Tamil Nadu for caste atrocities against Dalits is a meagre 3.6%, says data. Perpetrators have been punished only in 406 out of a total of 11,117 cases dating from 2015 to 2025, points out data released by Madurai-based rights organisation Evidence.
1103 cases are from 2024 and 1560 cases are from 2025, marking a 29% jump.
The rights organisation further found high pendency rates both in police stations and in courts. A total of 167 cases are pending police investigation. 494 cases are pending trial and 3810 cases are still in court.
Despite RTI applications, Coimbatore, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Namakkal, Tenkasi, Theni, Tirunelveli, Thanjavur, Virudhunagar and parts of Chennai districts did not provide information, Evidence says.
Madurai in the lead
1322 (14.6%) caste atrocities occurred in Madurai district — the highest in the state. Sivagangai district comes second with 756 atrocity cases. Villupuram district saw 709 cases and Pudukkottai saw 696 cases.
Madurai district has 21 cases pending police investigation, coming in second after Nagapattinam (78). Several of these have been pending since 2015 and 2016.