On the finish of September 1854, Aroonachella Moodelly (Arunchala Mudali), a weaver and cultivator hailing from Terovumunulloor village in Cuddalore Zilla (now a district) was returning dwelling from a neighboring village. Somebody advised him the peons and talliars (thaliari or village official) have been already at his doorstep. That they had ill-treated his brother Narrainsawmy and in addition the ladies within the household.
A case of theft
When he was away, there was a theft in the home of one other inhabitant Sudr Ameen. For some motive, the suspicion had fallen on him. Aoronachella Moodelly was afraid to go dwelling. He then went to Cuddalore and complained to Maltby, the Collector, who referred him to the tahsildar Soobba Royer (Subbarayar). He headed to fulfill the tahsildar, whose workplace was about “three-quarters of a league” from Moodelly’s home. The tahsildar requested him to remain there until the case of theft got here up.
After a day, the tahsildar despatched him to his home together with the ‘dayalet’ (a employee). Moodelly discovered that the taluk peon Kistna Singh, one Narrainsawmy Naiken despatched by the tahsildar, puttamonyan Moodroolinga Reddy (Muthulinga Reddy), kurnam Gungdara Pillay (Gangadara Pillai), village munsif Vencataramanian, and different puttamonyan have been already at his home.
“I used to be instantly pinioned, after which tied to a tree, the place these individuals struck me with their slippers, after which I used to be untied, and positioned within the shares, and was once more struck by these males until I fainted. Once I recovered, I used to be advised to say that the gold which I had in my possession had been given to me by a thief,” recalled Moodelly, greater than three months later whereas deposing earlier than EF Elliot, the Commissioner for the Investigation of alleged Instances. of Torture.
He was then taken to the tahsildar, the place he was saved in custody for 25 days. The tahsildar questioned him in regards to the gold, and when he asserted that it was his personal property, the official quipped that he wouldn’t converse the reality.
torture remedy
As if on cue, these round selected to right away mete out third-degree remedy. “…handcuffs have been placed on me, and I used to be lifted up by my mustaches by a peon named Ramaswammy Naik, and one aspect of my mustaches have been pulled out,” he recounted to Elliot.
His brother was then taken into custody and ill-treated a lot that he ‘confessed’ to having seen Moodelly melting one thing (gold).
“I used to be then dedicated, with a number of others, and tried at Cuddalore, and we have been all acquitted; and the Sudr Ameen despatched the girl, named Anghee, to the Collector, to offer statements respecting the ill-treatment; Anghee having had a kittee (a thumbscrew-like clamping system) utilized to her breast to make her confess. We each appeared earlier than the sub-collector, I believe his title is Banbury, who heard us, and our statements have been taken. down, and we have been advised to go away; this was, I believe, in Kartheegy earlier than final,” he mentioned in his testimony.
Elliot had recorded this on January 17, 1855, and it fashioned a part of the Madras Torture Fee report.
Elliot additionally recorded the assertion of Chellappa Reddy, an inhabitant of Valoothalumbadoo village in Chingleput Zilla (Chengalpet district).
Land dispute
Reddy was a cultivator who owned about 20 cawnies of land. He had mortgaged a portion of which – about one cawny and 1 / 4 – to 1 Ramaswamy. He later grew to become a sufferer of torture when he refused to promote the land to the moneylender.
“On the fifteenth of Avanee final (August 29, 1854), the tahsildar, I have no idea his title, despatched for me, and requested me to execute a rajeeenamah, agreeing to promote the land to the mentioned Ramaswamy, which I refused to do…,” he recounted. The tahsildar then noticed, that Reddy gave the impression to be an obstinate fellow, and requested the kurnom, Nauga Pillay, whether or not there was any steadiness towards him.
“On being advised that 4 rupees have been due, he ordered the peons current to get the cash from me forthwith,” he mentioned. Based on the peons, named Cundappa Naik (Kandappa), Culliana Raujah (Kalianna Raja), Permall Naik (Perumal), and a fourth “seized me by the ears, pulled my head down, thumped me on the again and sides, and pinched me on the thighs.” He fell down, and even then they continued to beat him until he fainted. He was then allowed to go dwelling, and he paid the cash, 10 days later to the moneylender, Ramaswamy Reddy. “I complained of this ill-treatment by petition to the Collector, however I’ve by no means acquired any reply. I had by no means been handled on this method earlier than,” Reddy mentioned, in line with the assertion recorded by Elliot.
Revealed – December 10, 2025 06:30 am IST