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COIMBATORE: Bowing to the pressure to caste politics, a Dalit woman was prevented from cooking food to the students as part of noon meal scheme and transferred to another place, but to be reinstated later in Tirupur District.

P. Pappal of Thiruamalaigoundanpalayam in Avanashi taluk of the district, belonging to Arundhatiyar community was a cook under noon meal scheme for the last two years, and on her request she was transferred to the Government primary school in her village a week ago.

“Some caste Hindus, belonging Gounder community cautioned her against working there, being a Dalit and other upper caste may object to this,” police said.

“She was transferred to another school in the village, where some belonging to Gounder community objected to she cooking food for their children, even as many parents exerted pressure on the authorities to transfer Pappal,” they said.

Even a group of community people stopped the management to open the school on Thursday and the matter was taken to the Block Development Officer for further consideration.

Based on the complaints, BDO cancelled the transfer and deputed Pappal to her previous school.

However, the Sub-Collector intervened, after a protest by Dalit outfits, and ordered to reinstate Pappal to the earlier school, official sources said.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes has sought explanations from senior district officials about the incident.

In a letter to the Collector, Superintendent of Police and Chief Education Officer, the Commission has asked them to appear before it and explain the reported caste humiliation meted out to the woman, during an inquiry at Delhi on July 30, which will be held by Vice-Chairman L. Murugan, they said.